2000 Vauxhall Astra LS review from UK and Ireland

This vehicle has been fine, and reliable. Until last night, driving home from a friends house I noticed the engine was revving oddly, then it took over and started to get out of control (revving). I pulled over onto a lay-by, turned the key and took it out, still nothing happened, the engine was running at extreme RPM, at this point I panicked and got out, I stood on the grass verge as it did this for several minutes, then it gave in, seized I would assume. It red lines @5000rpm, but had gone off the clock whilst in the lay-by, the smoke from it was unreal, as was the noise. I called the fire brigade to assist, they said it was extremely high in temperature, nothing they'd seen before on a car.

I was lucky not to have been hurt, as I was driving along at 80mph without control, only steering. Vauxhall will need to investigate this, before someone gets hurt or killed. I am awaiting Vauxhall to collect this to check it out, and will reply on here once I have heard what was wrong with it. Very scary stuff I have to say!