Shaun Akers' wife, children and in-laws were asleep in the back of the taxi when he noticed it drifting and changing speed on the M11. The driver had apparently nodded off and Mr Akers told him to get off the motorway so he could take over – and the driver slept the rest of the way to Gatwick Airport.

Mr Akers (36) believes he and his family could have been killed had he not woken by chance and roused the driver from his slumber.

The family pre-booked the taxi with Haz's Cars, based on the North Lynn Industrial Estate, in March and were travelling to Gatwick to jet off for a two-week holiday in Corfu last month.

In the car were Mr Akers' wife Trudy (37), their daughters Beth (6) and Lily (4) and his parents-in-law Sue and Ken Fox, of Lynn.

Mr Akers, of Oxborough Drive, said: "The taxi picked us up at a quarter past midnight and it was a very foggy night. We stopped for fuel at Downham and the driver bought two cans of Red Bull – the warning signs should have been there.

"We all fell asleep but I woke up on the M11 near Cambridge and he was driving very erratically – slowing down, speeding up and drifting on to the hard shoulder – and he kept rubbing his head.

"I saw we were catching up to a car in the left-hand lane quite quickly and I thought he should have overtaken. Then I realised he had drifted off and I shouted out his name to wake him up.

"I told him to get off the motorway and I said I would drive because I didn't want my family put in that position again. I was mortified. I drove

the rest of the way to the airport while the driver slept.

"None of us slept a wink after that and we drove in silence. I think we were in shock."

He has since reported the incident, which took place in the early hours of Monday, June 11, to the police and West Norfolk Council, who are investigating.

Mr Akers added "The driver could have killed us all and the people in the other car. What would have happened if I had been asleep?"

Owner of Haz's Cars, Mr Haz Khalil told the Lynn News the incident had been drawn to his attention and the matter dealt with internally.

He said the driver in question had been driving during the day, but not for his company, and had since retired from Haz's Cars.

"As far as we are concerned he was driving when he was tired and he shouldn't have been. We have health and safety systems in place and this was an isolated incident," Mr Khalil added.

http://www.lynnnews.co.uk/news?articleid=2998148