A MAN who fell from a bridge onto the M11 motorway this morning had been involved in a car crash just hours before, it has emerged.

The 21-year-old student, who is from the Uxbridge area, suffered multiple injuries when he fell from the Central Line railway bridge in Chigwell onto the motorway at around 7am.

After falling onto the northbound carriageway of the road a van also then hit him.

He was rushed by air ambulance to hospital where he remains in a critical condition tonight.

Police have now revealed the man was injured in an earlier crash at 5.20am.

Officers launched an appeal for witnesses this afternoon in an attempt to piece together the student's movements in the moments leading up to the fall.

A spokesman for Essex police said his silver Ford Focus had left the northbound carriageway of the road and crashed through a wooden fence near junction five.

He was later seen on the Roding Lane bridge over the motorway and then walking south along the northbound carriageway, before apparently climbing on to the railway bridge.

PC Bill Samphire, who is investigating the incidents, said: "We want to hear from anyone who may have seen a silver ford focus leave the road anytime during the early hours of Saturday.

"We need information about the crash involving his car. We also want to hear from anyone who might have seen him on the Roding Lane Bridge."

Anyone with any information should contact police on 0300 333 44 44.