A CRASH led to the closure of the M40 in north Oxfordshire tonight causing long delays for rush-hour drivers.

A car struck the central reservation on the southbound carriageway between junction ten at Ardley and junction nine at Bicester, leading to closure of the southbound lanes for a time.

Reports said two cars were involved in a separate collision.

Debris also went into the northbound carriageway leading to delays for drivers heading towards Banbury.

Police tonight also appealed for information after a two-vehicle collision on the M40, between junctions 4 to 3, yesterday, which led to the closure of the motorway and delays of up to four hours for drivers heading to London.

At about 3.50pm a silver Toyota was involved in a collision with a blue Saab. The crash occurred when the Toyota travelling on the northbound carriageway crossed the central reservation and collided with the Saab travelling in the southbound carriageway.

The driver of the Saab, a 41-year-old man, was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford with serious injuries. He is said to be in a critical but stable condition.

The passenger in the Saab, a 48-year-old woman, was taken to the JR2 hospital with minor injuries.

The driver of the Toyota, a 21-year-old woman, was taken to Wexham Park Hospital, Slough.

The southbound carriageway was closed at junction 4 until around 9.30pm to allow collision investigators to carry out their work.

PC Andy Smith said "We are keen to speak to the driver of a white articulated lorry that stopped on the northbound carriageway immediately after the collision or to anybody who has any information about a lorry fitting this description. We are also appealing for witnesses with regards to what caused the Toyota to initially lose control prior to crossing the central motorway barrier."

If you were on the M40 at the time of the collision and saw it happen, call PC Andy Smith at Amersham Roads Policing via the Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505.