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A teenager died after getting out of an ambulance on a motorway and then being hit by a car, police have said.
The 18-year-old exited the ambulance after it stopped to provide him with further treatment on the northbound carriageway of the M5 in North Somerset, between junction 21 (Weston-super-Mare) and 20 (Clevedon), while taking him to hospital.
The ambulance service informed police shortly after 11pm that the patient was on the motorway, Avon and Somerset Police said in a statement. He was hit by a car and died at the scene.
The M5 was closed as a result of the incident to allow emergency services to respond and investigations to take place. The road was reopened on Monday morning.
“Our thoughts are with the man’s family at such a devastating time. We will support them in any way we can,” Assistant Chief Constable Joanne Hall said.
“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.”
The force said it had referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) on what happened. The family has been notified of the death and are being supported by a police liaison officer.
Jane Whichello from South Western Ambulance Service told the BBC: “We would like to offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the man involved in this incredibly sad incident.
“Alongside police colleagues, our crews put their own safety at risk to help the patient and reduce the risk of harm to passing motorists, and I would like to thank them for their efforts.”