At least two cars crashed separately at the same icy blackspot in Harefield this morning, causing rush hour delays.

Police said a red Ford Zetec skidded over a bank on Harvil Road and ended up on its side at 7.43am, shortly before a silver Toyota Avensis span into a bush.

No-one was injured but both cars were damaged and other drivers faced delays, according to police.

A Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) spokesman said: “It was due to very severe conditions due to the weather. The council sent out their first response team to get [the road] gritted.”

Witnesses said at least one other vehicle had crashed at the same spot, near to the junction with Moorhall Road.

Marie Martindale said she was driving her grandchildren to school when she saw the red Ford Zetec on is rear, after which, she said, a white van span 360 degrees in front of her, before the driver regained control and continued ahead.

On her way back, at around 9.15am, she saw a blue car that had gone over the bank backwards with its bumper smashed, she said.

Ms Martindale, 65, of Sullivan Crescent, Harefield, added: “It's just awful. There's always a puddle there when it's rained. It must be a dip in the road. It's lethal, but I've never seen anything like this.”

She added: “I just think that spot should be gritted every morning. It's always been an accident waiting to happen."

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Ice-prone Harvil Road, in Harefield, is a known accident blackspot

Twitter user Elliot Ross said 'three or four' cars had bumped into one another and another was on the side of the road when he passed at around 8am, when his car's thermometer read -4C.

He added: “People driving by were asking if they needed any help and they said they’re OK, so hopefully fine. No services there at that point but presumably were on their way.”

One of the worst accidents to occur at the blackspot happened in January 2013, when a car skidded on ice and somersaulted into a field.

A council spokeswoman said: "The council receives frequent weather alerts from the MET office and in response to reports of inclement weather conditions gritted Harvil Road yesterday evening at 7pm and again this morning at 4.50am.  

"We will continue to regularly monitor weather conditions and will assign the highways team to grit affected areas."