CLASSIC cars were severely damaged when a car transporter caught fire on the M4 in Gloucestershire last night.

Fire broke out on the HGV on westbound carriageway of the motorway near junction 18, Bath Stroud, at around 10pm yesterday evening.

Two lanes and the entry sliproad were closed while fire crews worked hard to extinguish the flames.

Luckily the driver was unharmed, but three of the specialist vehicles were badly damaged.

Photos from the scene show the full extent of the damage, with those vehicles nearest the cab being worst affected.

A Highways England tweet sent at around 1am this morning said that although the fire was extinguished and the driver 'fine', cars were destroyed.

"Fire is out but sadly some of the specialist cars it was transporting were destroyed.

"Recovery and clean-up now being sorted. Driver is fine," it said.

It is not currently clear what started the fire, or whether any of the fire-damaged cars are salvageable.

Highways officers reopened that all lanes had reopened at just after 2am this morning.