A MAN is in police custody tonight after an elderly woman died in a three-car crash on the M40.

The woman, a passenger in one of the cars, was taken to Wycombe Hospital but later pronounced dead.

A male driver was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving following the crash, which happened at about 9.45am near junction six just north of the Chilterns cutting.

Two other people were taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford with non-life threatening injuries, and another person was treated at the scene.

Police and ambulance crews were called to the accident, and an air ambulance also attended.

Drivers faced long delays because all southbound lanes between junction six and junction five at Stokenchurch, and one lane on the northbound side, were closed for almost five hours.

The southbound hard shoulder and inside lane reopened later to allow traffic to pass, and all lanes were cleared by about 2.30pm.

A diversion was put in place on B4009 and the A40 to the M40 junction five, but queues still stretched back for several miles on the southbound stretch approaching the accident.

Delays were compounded by a later vehicle fire on the northbound carriageway between junction 10 at Brackley and junction nine at Bicester in the early afternoon.

Thames Valley police spokesman David Staines said: “A man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of death by dangerous driving and is currently in police custody.”

South Central Ambulance Service spokesman James Keating-Wilkes said: “We received a call for a three-vehicle road traffic collision at 9.45am “Initial resources were allocated within 39 seconds of the call.

“Officer in rapid response vehicle attended together with three double manned ambulances and the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance”

Last night the Highways Agency urged people heading off on their Easter holidays to plan their journeys accordingly.

Spokesman James Wright said: “It is essential if you know there is an incident to take a couple of minutes to check the conditions.”