A WOMAN has spoken of her miracle escape from a horrific crash.

Michelle Anthony, 36, says the trauma of the crash last month has left her feeling scared to leave her home.

She was joining the A13 at Pitsea on her way to a hen weekend in Worthing when she suddenly noticed two cars parked in the left lane with their lights switched off.

She swerved to avoid them, but ended up skidding on surface water, smashing into the crash barrier and hitting another car.

Firefighters spent an hour cutting Mrs Anthony, from Basildon, out of her car after she became trapped.

She said: “I don’t know how I ended up without any broken bones. The police said to me I should have ended up dead, so it’s a miracle really.

“When I went to see my car after it had been towed away I just couldn’t believe it, the space I was cut out of was smaller than me.

“It really shook me up. I’m finding I’m just locking myself in the house.

“It could have been an absolute catastrophe.

“I still can’t believe people would stop on a busy road without their lights on, it is so dangerous.”

A section of the A13 was shut for four hours following the crash, which happened just after 7.30pm on January 17.

Mrs Anthony needed hospital treatment for head injuries, cuts and bruises.

It is thought the two motorists had stopped to have an argument on the roadside.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding a road crash in Pitsea.

“A silver Ford Fiesta, white Fiat 500, blue Volkswagen Passatt and a blue Vauxhall Astra struck each other on the west bound carriageway of the A13. A section of the road was closed for four hours while the vehicles were recovered.

“Paramedics attended the scene and treated a number of people.”