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

The woman, a passenger in one of the cars, was taken to High 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 cutting through the Chiltern ridge, close to Lewknor.

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 the Thames Valley air ambulance also attended.

Drivers faced long delays because all southbound lanes between junction 6 and junction 5, 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 using B4009 and the A40 to Stokenchurch, but queues still stretched back for several miles on the southbound carriageway approaching Lewknor.

Delays were compounded by a later vehicle fire on the northbound carriageway, between junction 9 at Wendelbury, near bicester, and junction 10, at Ardley, 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.

“Officers in rapid response vehicles 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's essential if you know there's an incident to take a couple of minutes to check the conditions.”