A MIDDLE-aged woman was in a critical condition last night after falling from a footbridge on to the M4.

The woman landed in the middle lane of the eastbound carriageway, but, miraculously, she wasn't hit by a vehicle.

Frantic drivers called the police after spotting the woman on the 18ft high Hook Overbridge near Wootton Bassett at noon yesterday.

Acting Sergeant John Webb, of Swindon traffic police, attended the scene, and found motorists trying to comfort the woman, who is from Wootton Bassett.

"She was able to speak and motorists had covered her with blankets to keep her warm," he said.

"We couldn't move her and closed lanes one and two.

"She was in a serious condition, with head, leg and abdominal injuries, but amazingly she was alive.

"Officers tried to get as much information as they could from her.

"When she got to hospital she gave different information, and began rambling, and becoming incoherent.

"She was just so lucky not to have been hit by another vehicle, which could have caused other collisions, and even fatalities."

The woman, who is her mid-50s, was being operated on last night at the Great Western Hospital.

She was alone on the bridge which carries the C414 Wootton Bassett to Hook road at the time of the incident.

Eight officers attended the scene, and the police helicopter was scrambled, as a paramedic is carried on board.

The woman was taken to hospital by ambulance as this was deemed to be faster. She has a ruptured spleen and a broken leg and pelvis.

Police were informing her family as the Advertiser went to press last night. The two lanes were shut for 45 minutes.

Tamash Lal