Woman dies and baby fighting for life after M40 crash

One-year-old boy and woman in 30s rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries

Police said the vehicle left M40 at speed and landed in a ditch (PA)

A woman has died and a baby is fighting for life after a car crashed on the M40 motorway.

Police were called to the M40 in Oxfordshire between Bicester and the Cherwell Valley Services at around 9.10am on Thursday to reports a vehicle had been involved in a crash on the motorway.

One woman in her 60s died from her injuries at the scene, while two other passengers - a one-year-old boy and a woman in her thirties - were rushed to hospital with “life-threatening injuries,” police said.

Two others, a man in his 30s and a two-year-old girl, suffered less serious injuries and are also being treated in hospital.

Police said the vehicle left the road at speed and landed in a ditch.

The M40 northbound was closed on Thursday following the incident, causing major delays and up to three miles of congestion.

Senior investigating officer Sergeant Dominic Mahon of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “I am appealing to anybody who was driving on the M40 at around the time of this collision to please get in touch with Thames Valley Police if you have witnessed this incident.

“I’d also ask anybody who was on the M40 between junctions 9 and 10 who has dash-cam to please check this and get in touch if it has captured the collision or the moments leading up to it.

“Tragically, one person has died of her injuries and two others have suffered critical injuries.

“Our thoughts are with all of those affected at this extremely difficult time.

“If you have any information or witnessed the collision, please contact us, either by making a report online or by calling 101, quoting incident reference 43230217234.”