A SENIOR police officer at the scene of Saturday’s M40 crash said it was one of the worst accidents he had seen in years.

More than 30 vehicles were involved in the collision between junction 9 and 10 on the M40, which happened shortly before 8am.

Last night police said the man who had died was a 65-year-old from Woking in Surrey.

Another man who was taken to Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital wa in a critical condition. Last night he was described as stable, along with two others who remained in hospital.

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A number of other people were treated for minor injuries with up to 50 people assessed by paramedics at the scene.

In a bizarre coincidence, it was exactly 24 years to the day after a major crash at almost the same location, but on the southbound carriageway, which claimed a woman’s life.

Chief Inspector Henry Parsons said the dense fog would play a major part in the police investigation into how the multi-vehicle crash happened.

Yesterday, police said they were digitally reconstructing the scene to piece together the circumstances leading up to the crash.

Drivers spoke of how thick fog descended on the area and blocked their vision moments before vehicles shunted into one another.

Chief Inspector Parsons said: “It’s very extraordinary. We have not been hit by an accident this severe for many years in Thames Valley.

“It does very much touch you personally.

“There was average traffic as far as we know, the only thing that was different was the dense fog in the area.”

The northbound carriageway was closed between junctions 9 and 10 for a number of hours while the vehicles were cleared from the road.

While the emergency services worked to get the road reopened, those involved in the crash were taken to Ardley Village hall and given hot food, drinks and phones to get in touch with their relatives.

Ardley parish councillor Ian Corkin said: “The atmosphere was very quiet and everyone seemed shocked, some people were very traumatised by their experience.”

Last night, senior investigating officer Sgt Ashley Hannibal, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said the investigation was ongoing.

Sgt Hannibal said: “The scene is in the process of being digitally reconstructed to enable investigating officers to establish the positions of the vehicles involved and to piece together the circumstances that resulted in the collision.

“I would like to continue to appeal for witnesses to call us on our non-emergency number 101.”

Appeal to identify off-duty paramedic who helped others amid chaos

AN OFF-DUTY paramedic who freed herself from her own car in the wreckage to help others was described as “brilliant”.

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue deputy chief officer Nathan Travis said he would like to find the woman to thank her properly.

He and others said the unidentified paramedic managed to free herself from her own Mini, caught up in the wreckage of 33 vehicles on the M40.

Mr Travis, who is based at Kidlington, said: “She was able to get herself out of her own car and started to help causalities.

“When our rescue appliances turned up she was able to tell them ‘these are the people who need priority treatment’.

“For someone involved in that incident themselves to be able to act in that professional way, all praise goes.

“What she did meant that we could prioritise patients quicker.”

He said it would be nice to be able to identify the woman to thank her properly.

Neil Crowder, 51, from Kennington, and daughter Jemma, 30, who were also caught in the crash, said the anonymous woman was “brilliant”.

Mr Crowder added: “All of the emergency services were fantastic and they were there really quick. They organised it very well.”

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