A female passenger has died after a car overturned on the M40 in a horror late night crash.

The motorway was closed for hours after emergency services raced to the scene shortly before 10pm and took the female driver and her passenger to John Radcliffe hospital.

A grey Ford Fusion was travelling along the Northbound M40 between junction 4 (Handy Cross) and 5 (Stokenchurch), when it left the carriageway into woodland at the side of the M40.

Tragically, the passenger of the car, a woman in her twenties, was pronounced dead at the hospital. The woman’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by officers.

The driver of the vehicle, a woman in her forties, remains in hospital in a serious condition.

Investigating officer, PC Simon Nelson of the Joint Operations Serious Collision Investigation Unit, based at Three Mile Cross, said: “This was a collision in which a woman has sadly lost her life.

“Our thoughts are with her family at this very difficult time.

“We are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding this collision and would like to appeal to any witnesses to please come forward.

“We would ask any motorists who have dash-cam footage of the incident to please contact us.”

Anyone with information should call 101 or go to our website quoting reference 1470 08/12/18.