Injured driver's family appeals for crash witnesses

The family of a driver who was seriously injured in a motorway crash has urged missing witnesses to contact the police.

Carl Tompkins, 30, from Tadley, Hampshire, hit a tree beside the M3 near Basingstoke at about 22:20 BST on Friday 4 October. He remains in hospital, police said.

In a police appeal, the family said motorists who saw the crash and witnesses on motorway bridges may not yet have come forward.

Officers said two men, who were arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, remained under investigation.

The motorway was shut for more than eight hours following the northbound crash between junction 6 for Basingstoke and junction 5 for Hook.

Mr Tompkins, who was driving a silver Honda Civic, was airlifted to hospital.

His family said: "Thank you to those who stopped to help Carl, especially the paramedics and the air ambulance who gave him the best chance.

"Thank you also to Southampton Hospital Neurological Intensive Care and Basingstoke Hospital Intensive Care for the amazing care that you have given to Carl.

"We also want to thank all those who have already spoken to the police, but we know there may be people with further information who haven't come forward and we would urge them to do so."

Police said they believed that several of the motorists who stopped at the scene later left without leaving their details.

The arrested men - a 33-year-old from Basingstoke and a man aged 34 from St Mary Bourne - were later released while police continue their investigation.

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