A woman had to be pulled free from the wreckage of a motorway smash after her car left the carriageway, overturned and came to a stop on its side in dense foliage.

The early morning crash forced a section of the M40 between Handy Cross, High Wycombe (junction 4) and Loudwater (junction 3) to be shut while emergency crews treated the injured woman.

Firefighters were on hand to help release the woman from the car and assist paramedics after receiving 999 calls.

The emergency services raced to the scene at about 1am and found the car on its side in dense foliage.

The authorities have not yet confirmed the woman’s current condition and it is not clear if any other vehicles were involved.