A teenager has been killed by a car on the M5 shortly after leaving an ambulance on the side of the motorway.
The 18-year-old was being taken to hospital when the vehicle stopped along the northbound carriageway between junction 20 and 21 on Sunday.
Paramedics had tried to provide further treatment to the patient when he decided to exit the ambulance sometime after 11pm.
An on-duty officer came across the incident and tried to bring the man to safety along the side of the road.
But, a short time later he was struck by a car heading southbound and died at the scene.
His family have been updated and are being supported by a specially trained liaison officer, Avon and Somerset Police said.
The M5 was subsequently closed until Monday morning to allow officers to make enquiries at the scene, the force added.
Avon and Somerset Police has also referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct following the incident.
Assistant Chief Constable Joanne Hall said: ‘Our thoughts are with the man’s family at such a devastating time. We will support them in any way we can.
‘This incident has had a significant effect on our officers and ambulance crews who are understandably incredibly upset by what happened.
‘As well as providing support to the man’s family, we are also making sure that the appropriate welfare arrangements are in place for our staff and also for those members of the public who were either directly involved or who witnessed the incident.
‘A mandatory referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) by our Professional Standards Department. It’s already begun an independent investigation into the circumstances, which we will fully cooperate with.’
