A SEVEN year old boy was left with serious injuries after his father fell asleep at the wheel and crashed on a motorway.

A 31-year-old man has been spared jail after the boy suffered fractures to his skull and a brain bleed after the horrific crash on the M25.

The father, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been driving his son from Newcastle to Kent to bring him to his mother, when he fell asleep at the wheel between junction 27 and 28.

The Nissan Micra crashed into the central reservation before veering across all four lanes and crashing into the left side of the carriageway, before veering back again into the central reservation.

Luckily, no other cars crashed into the Micra, and three other motorists came out of their vehicles to assist the boy, by giving him first aid, holding his head still and trying to get him out of the car.

The father did not suffer any serious injuries in the crash on May 6 last year.

The father was charged with and admitted driving while having cannabis in his system and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court yesterday.

Mitigating, Matthew Bone said: “By the grace of God this could have been so much worse.

“The victim is the much loved son of the defendant and he has made a full recovery.”

Judge Andrew Hurst said: “This was a serious matter that could have resulted in catastrophe, thankfully it didn’t. Everyone has a responsibility not to drive when tired.”

The father received an eight month suspended prison sentence and 300 hours unpaid work.

Judge Hurst gave £200 from the High Sheriff’s Award to the people who helped the boy.