M40 reopens following serious crash involving four cars and a van near Gaydon on Saturday night

A serious crash involving five vehicles shut the M40 between Gaydon and Banbury last night (Saturday), between junctions 11 and 12.

Warwickshire Police reported in the incident at 10.30pm and described it as a “serious multi-vehicle collision on the northbound side of the M40”. They later said it involved four cars and a van.

There are no details yet of injuries.

The road was fully open this morning.

The incident left a tailback of vehicles, stuck on the dark while emergency services attended the scene.

One driver said on Twitter: "I’m stuck in it, at least three fire trucks have driven passed, five ambulances and a few police and rapid response. "There was a helicopter with a searchlight circling for half an hour. Whatever has happened up ahead it’s bad."

Another traveller, Kerry O'Grady, said on Facebook: “Me, my daughter and her children were also sitting there for three hours or so. Shortly before the accident we were passed by several cars doing what must have been 90-100mph. We commented on it at the time. So many people break the speed limit. Perhaps because it is a straight stretch? Who knows. It was awful seeing the debris and all the mangled cars. Hope there were no fatalities. We were also very impressed by the swift response of our emergency services. These regular accidents must really stretch all the responders. Several fire engines, many ambulances and police cars, two helicopters...nightmares all round.”

Eyewitness Laura Dempsey added: “I was in the hold up for over three hours this evening. When we eventually crawled past, I counted six vehicles. It was devastation. If they all walked away with a few breaks and bruises, they were lucky. I sincerely hope so.”

There have been a number of crashes on this stretch of the M40 - including most recently on 12th September when a van driver died in a collision junction 12 and junction 13 on the M40 northbound near Gaydon.