Fire crews are tackling a serious fire which has badly damaged the Cherwell Valley Services on the M40.

The whole service area, at junction ten of the motorway near Ardley, has been closed.

Reports say 75 firefighters are tackling the blaze.

A fire service spokesman said the fire had taken hold in the roof of the main building.

The main building at the service area is understood to have been destroyed.

The fire started shortly before 1pm, the fire service said.

Crews are trying to stop the blaze spreading to the neighbouring Travelodge.

The petrol station is not believed to be under threat.

All buildings have been evacuated. No one is believed to have been hurt.

Paul Jarvis, a van driver from Kidlington, was making a delivery at Ardley at about 2pm when he spotted the smoke.

He said: "I just saw plumes of black smoke billowing.

"The smoke was really intense and black, then we heard a lot of banging. I understand it was the roof caving in."

Police said motorists on the M40 were being advised to drive carefully as smoke was billowing across the road.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: "It is believed that a fire started in a room at the rear of the premises and quickly spread throughout building.

"Staff and customers were successfully and safely evacuated. It is expected that the building will suffer substantial damage.

"There is disruption to the local road network due to thick dense smoke.

"Motorists are asked to avoid the motorway between junctions 9 and 11 in both directions, the A43, B4100, and B430 and seek alternative routes where possible."