A driver is appealing for witnesses to an accident that sent his car spinning across a motorway into a crash barrier.

John Martin, 37, of Maresfield Road, Brighton, believes he is lucky to be alive after the crash on the M23.

The other driver involved in the collision drove off after the accident and he is desperate to track her down for insurance purposes.

Father of two Mr Martin, a security agent at Gatwick Airport, said: "I was quite shocked when she drove off. I thought she would have stayed there.

"It was a nightmare."

The crash happened at about 6am on Monday as Mr Martin was driving north in the fast lane at junction 11 of the A23 and M23.

He moved left into the slow lane to avoid another accident involving a lorry and a few cars.

A silver Peugeot 206 with a female driver came up behind him and clipped the rear left corner of the Nissan.

The impact sent him spinning into the central crash barrier.

The car was left sticking out into the oncoming traffic. Mr Martin said: "I thought I was going to die. I just got out of the car as quickly as I could. I can't believe no other cars hit me afterwards."

Mr Martin saw the Peugeot had stopped about 200 yards further up the road along with two vans. The female driver had got out in a state of shock and was standing with the van drivers who were trying to look after her.

Mr Martin said: "I walked up to her, asked if she was all right and said I was going to call the police. She was crying and in shock as well. I walked back to my car to get my phone but when I was speaking to the police I turned to look back at her and she was gone.

"Then I was on my own with all these cars flying past me."

The police arrived 10 or 15 minutes later and closed the motorway while they moved his car on to the hard shoulder for the recovery vehicle.

Mr Martin said his car is a write-off. The bonnet is crumpled and there is damage to the rear left corner where the Peugeot hit.

He said: "If I can't get this woman's details I'll have to go through a motor insurance bureau or just cut my losses and think I'm lucky to be alive."

PC Simon Tasker, of Haywards Heath Traffic Police, said: "Obviously we would urge the driver to come forward." Any witnesses should call PC Tasker on 0845 60 70 999.