Scorched drivers were trapped in their cars on the M25 for up to eight hours yesterday under the baking sun of the hottest June day ever, leaving 10 in hospital.

The huge five-mile congestion was caused by a serious crash near Godstone between a white Mercedes Vito van and a white lorry on the motorway just after 10am.

The horrific collision caused a 'significant oil spillage' that damaged up to 400m of the road and a man in his 30s was airlifted to hospital for a leg injury.

But as police responded to the crash, frustrated drivers were stuck in extensive queues, complaining of a lack of water and communication which caused 'heat related illnesses'.

One stuck driver was also airlifted to hospital after Wednesday saw record-breaking temperatures reach as high as 35.8C, with ambulances called by drivers in distress between junctions six and seven. 

South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb) said 'heavy traffic is making it challenging for ambulance clinicians to reach some patients as quickly as we would like and we are working closely with partner agencies to improve access and prioritise those most in need'.

Folkestone and Hythe MP Tony Vaughan shared a picture of the backlog after one of his constituents was trapped in her car with her children for over eight hours.

He wrote on X: 'A constituent has been stuck on the M25 near Oxted for 8 hours. It is 40 degrees in her car.

'She has kids with her. She is running out of water. The person from the car in front has been airlifted to hospital with dehydration. 

'Police seem to be saying it's not their job to give out water.

'People need water and some may need evacuation. You have protocols for this situation - please implement them - this is an emergency!'

Edmund King chimed in with his criticism, responding with: 'Should have implemented a carriageway turnaround and distributed water as they did in the snow on the M11 years ago. 

'Surely there is crisis management manual for such incidents. Yes we had advised to carry plenty of water but not 8 hours worth.'

Jacquie Obee, who had been sitting in the traffic from 10.30am until 7.15pm, hit back at critics who lamented drivers for not bringing enough water: 'Despite you know it alls saying about taking water etc, we took water but ran out, so after 4 calls to the highways agency, I suggested they got some water out to everyone, that came out about 5pm.'

A woman replied: 'Amazes me how they let 8 hours worth of traffic build up in the first place. They allow thousands of motorists to keep passing slip roads further back and join the endless queue of traffic ? Bad traffic management, there's no excuse with all the cameras they've got everywhere!' 

One concerned daughter took to Facebook to say that her 'parents have been stuck on the M25 for over 4.5 hours, no information, no supplies'.

'There are elderly people, babies, animals, people with health conditions out there on the tarmac in the middle of a red heat warning on the hottest June day for 50 years!,' she continued.

'Can the police not coordinate some water and assistance? The exits are taking hours!'

Surrey Police have been contacted for comment, as have Secamb. 

An ambulance service spokesperson reportedly said: 'South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) was called at approximately 10:00 this morning (24/06/26) following reports of an RTC on the M25 between Junctions 5 and 6 near to Godstone.

'Multiple crews attended and were joined at the scene by the Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex. A male patient was treated at the scene for a leg injury, before being airlifted to St George's Hospital in London for further medical treatment.'

They later said: 'SECAmb is currently responding to a number of patients who are stranded in traffic on the M25 between five and six in Surrey following an earlier road traffic collision which resulted in lane closures.

'The resulting congestion has been severe and prolonged, with some vehicles stationary for several hours during today’s Red Heat Alert.

'This has resulted in a number of calls from people suffering from heat related illnesses including a number of coach passengers.

'Heavy traffic is making it challenging for ambulance clinicians to reach some patients as quickly as we would like and we are working closely with partner agencies to improve access and prioritise those most in need.'

The police reportedly earlier said in regards to the crash: 'One of the vehicles is currently being recovered, and a significant oil spillage from the collision has caused damage to the road surface.

'National Highways engineers are carrying out assessments before the carriageway can safely reopen.'

They later said: 'We are appealing for witnesses following a serious collision on the clockwise carriageway of the M25 between Junctions 6 and 7, near Bletchingley, shortly before 10am today (Wednesday 24 June).

'The collision involved a white Mercedes Vito van and a white lorry. The driver of the van, a man in his 30s, sustained serious injuries and was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital by air ambulance.'

If any drivers captured the moment with dashcam or footage from a helmet, police urged them to share the information by quoting PR/45260075072. 

The National Highways later confirmed that there was 'emergency overnight resurfacing required' and it was reported that the crash would likely be cleared around 2.45am and 3am.