SCOTLAND'S busiest motorway was deserted today after a massive fuel spill turned it into a four-mile skid pan alley.

In just 20 minutes 14 accidents were reported - including an eight-car pile-up - resulting in the entire westbound M8 being closed from Easterhouse to the Kingston Bridge.

No-one was seriously hurt but four people were taken to hospital with minor injuries, a Scottish Ambulance Service spokesman said, while others were treated for shock at the scene.

The crashes mean thousands of motorists face chaos, hold-ups and diversions throughout the day.

The rush-hour misery started at around 6.15am when the first crash was reported.

Within what one cop called 20 minutes of madness' another 14 vehicles were involved in a string of minor bumps and shunts.

The motorway was quickly closed from junction 10 to junction 19, causing widespread disruption.

Road police chiefs were trying to trace the vehicle responsible for the spill but they believe it may have travelled to Glasgow from Newhouse, North Lanarkshire.

Chief Inspector Andy Orr said: "We are appealing for anyone who was on the M8 this morning and may have seen a vehicle leaking fuel to contact us."

A massive clean-up operation is being carried out by Amey, the firm in charge of M8 maintenance.

Six trucks have been patrolling the four-mile stretch of carriageway spraying a detergent material on the spillage followed by eight gritters.

An Amey spokeswoman earlier said: "The clean-up is progressing well.

"The road surface still needs to be tested but at the moment we are anticipating that the motorway could reopen to traffic at around 1pm."

Firefighters were called to the scene of the diesel spill while eight cars were involved in one accident, near junction 16, at Robroyston.

A second crash was reported near the Fruitmarket.

Officers said it would take most of the morning to clean-up the spillage and make the motorway safe for traffic.

A businessman who witnessed the scene said: "It was mayhem. The traffic was packed tight. You couldn't move. Supermarket lorries and some cars were using the hard shoulder in an attempt to get to the front of the queue.

"No-one knew what as happening.

"The first indication of trouble came in a gantry message which warned us that junction 10 was closed No-one knew whether it was the sliproad or the entire motorway until the police diverted us all off the M8 at the sliproad which takes traffic to the Glasgow Fort.

"We then had thousands of vehicles streaming on to local roads and heading towards the city. The congestion was unbelievable. I work in the centre and was at least an hour late."

A spokesman for Strathclyde Police earlier said: "We are still investigating the cause of the spillage and would urge drivers to avoid the area.

"We are dealing with a large number of multi-vehicle accidents on the M8.

"We understand the spillage has spread from Cumbernauld southbound at the A73 to the M8. We cannot say how long it will be closed at this stage but we are urging drivers to seek alternative routes.

"We are urging drivers to take their time and remain patient."

Other roads were also affected by the accidents. They include the M80 slip road on to the M8 and the A73 between Newhouse and Newmains.

The motorway began reopening in phases around 11.15am and was fully opened by midday. Drivers were still caught up in some disruption in the East End of the city into early afternoon.

Just three weeks ago drivers faced a 10-mile tailback after a five-vehicle pile-up at Provan.

Although the accident was relatively minor, with no serious injuries, it snarled up the motorway for hours.