Kate Garraway left shaken after tyre blow out on motorway

The Good Morning Britain presenter, 53, told her Instagram followers that the “utterly terrifying” incident happened in Kent where they were left stranded on a smart motorway with no hardshoulder.

Kate said it had been the first family outing without her husband, Derek Draper, who has been in hospital since March with coronavirus.

Garraway thanked Kent Police for coming to the rescue while she was left stranded in high-speed traffic and has shared a picture of the badly damaged tyre. Police had to tow the Volvo to safety because there was no hard shoulder on the stretch of smart motorway.

The AA control centre said it had realised that Garraway and her family were in a highly dangerous location and called the police.

Garraway wrote: "Thanks to our amazing saviours Liz & Mark from @kentpoliceuk who rescued me after a full tyre blow out on the motorway!!!

"Never had one before – utterly terrifying.

"Managed to keep control of car but couldn’t get off motorway as no hard shoulder & when the AA said they couldn’t come for an hour, then rang after half an hour to say might still be an hour had no choice but to call the police.

"They were so brilliant and got us to safety and we are now on way home in taxi, shaken but safe, tow truck on way to car.

"It’s first time have taken kids out without Derek too, but we are safe."

She promised to update GMB viewers on Monday morning.

Edmund King, AA president, said: "Immediately that our AA control centre realised that Kate Garraway and her family were in a highly dangerous location on a motorway without hard shoulder, we called the police.

"This is always an emergency situation and our standard procedure on ‘smart’ motorways or slip roads without hard shoulders.

"This shows the dangers of breaking down in a live lane and why we have campaigned vigorously for more emergency refuge areas on smart motorways.

"We are delighted the police did a great job to move them off the motorway and Kate and her family are fine.

"We have been in contact with her and provided recovery for her vehicle and a taxi. I have also left a personal message to see if there is anything else we can do.

"This frightening incident shows the importance of hard shoulders or adequate emergency refuge areas and is also a good reminder for all drivers to check the pressure and condition of their tyres."

It comes after Garraway revealed nurses told her that her husband, 52, looked "focused and engaged" when they put GMB on for him.

The mother-of-two was emotional as she spoke of his condition in hospital.

Garraway said Draper had endured a “tough week” following “big falls” in his blood pressure and swelling in his legs.

Derek, 52, attended Southlands High School in Chorley, where he graduated in 1984, before studying at Runshaw College in Leyland.