A woman was killed - and a man and baby injured - when their car was involved in a three-vehicle crash which closed the M40 for five hours on Saturday.

The fatal pile-up brings the death toll on Oxfordshire's roads to 57 this year - already 17 higher than last year's total.

Traffic was thrown into chaos after the crash on the southbound M40 just after 7am, about a mile before junction nine at Bicester.

Police said a green Ford Escort van crashed into the central reservation, a white Vauxhall Astra was in collision with the van and a red Rover was in collision with the Astra.

A woman travelling in the Astra was pronounced dead at the scene, while a one-year-old baby girl and a man, who were in the same car, were taken to Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital with minor injuries.

The drivers of the other two vehicles were also not believed to be seriously injured.

A spokesman for Oxfordshire ambulance service said the woman who died was about 30.

Two fire engines from Bicester were also called to the crash scene and made the vehicles safe.

The motorway was closed between junction 10 at Ardley and junction nine at Bicester until just after noon, while accident investigators collected evidence and the vehicles were recovered.

Traffic on the motorway was cleared by being directed along the hard shoulder, causing lengthy delays on nearby roads including the B430 through Ardley and Middleton Stoney.

Anyone with information on the M40 crash should call Bicester traffic police on 08458 505505.