Actor Christopher Lee-Power is speaking openly about the terrifying car crash he was involved in on the M65 last Sunday, 9 November, as he travelled home from filming in Nelson.
Lee-Power had spent the evening shooting his scenes for the upcoming sequel The Death of Michael Myers, in which he plays Dr. Langford. What began as a normal working day quickly turned into a night he never imagined he would experience.
You don’t think it will happen to you
Throughout his life, Lee-Power has watched documentaries, read newspapers and magazines, and seen films covering serious and sometimes fatal car accidents. But, as he now reflects, he never believed he would one day be involved in one himself.
As heavy rain battered the motorway and spray from nearby vehicles reduced visibility, his car suddenly skidded during a lane change. The vehicle spun out of control and crashed into the barrier with significant force.
Christopher said:
There was a moment when I genuinely didn’t know what was going to happen to me. The car kept sliding, bumping, and I was trying to brake, but it all happened so fast. When the impact hit, the airbag exploded, smoke filled the car, and my only instinct was to survive.
Struggling to get out of the car, and the phone died
The crash left the driver’s door jammed, forcing him to climb across the car and try the passenger door, which at first remained locked.
He explains:
I was panicking, trying every button, terrified the car might go up in flames..
When I finally got out, cars were speeding past, and I didn’t know where I was.
In the chaos, he realised he couldn’t find his mobile phone. A kind passer-by helped him search through the damaged interior until they eventually located it. The phone had only a sliver of battery left – just enough for a single call to his wife Pauline – before it died completely.
Christopher says:
My phone was gone after that. Dead. I couldn’t call my wife again, I couldn’t access any insurance details, nothing. That moment – standing there in shock with no access to anyone or anything – made the whole experience even more frightening.
Later in the night, after emergency services had attended the scene, a member of the recovery team kindly managed to get a small charge into his phone. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for him to make a few more vital calls once he was taken to Darwen Services.
Christopher recalls:
I remember sending the last message to Pauline. I wrote, ‘I’m at Darwen Services by the Travelodge – come and find me.’ And then the phone died again. I was praying she’d received it.
Waiting at the service station
Cold, shaken, and alone in the service station car park, he waited anxiously for several hours until he finally saw a car approaching in the distance.
Seeing my wife was one of the greatest moments of my life. I can’t describe the relief.
His car has since been declared a write-off, but Lee-Power remains deeply grateful to everyone who helped him that night.
Following the crash, he is urging all drivers to keep a simple emergency information card in their vehicle – something that can be accessed quickly when a phone is unavailable, damaged, or out of battery.
What happened to me could happen to anyone. Phones can die, be lost, or break in a crash. Having a small card in your glove compartment with emergency contacts, insurance details, breakdown information, and any medical needs could make all the difference – for you and for the people trying to help you.
Grateful to be alive
Nearly a week on, Lee-Power is recovering and remains thankful to be alive.
This experience has taught me how fragile life is, but also how kind people can be. I just hope that by sharing my story, others will be better prepared for the unexpected.
