A driver has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after an elderly woman died in a three-car crash on the M40 today.

The woman, a passenger in one of the cars, was taken to Wycombe Hospital but later pronounced dead.

It is not yet known if the arrested driver is man or woman.

Two other people have been taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford with non-life threatening injuries, and another person was treated at the scene.

Drivers faced delays after all southbound lanes between junction six at Watlington and junction five at Stokenchurch were closed, as was lane three on the northbound side.

All lanes were reopened by 2.30pm.

Police and ambulance crews were called at about 9.45am to the accident, and the air ambulance also attended.

A diversion was put in place between the B4009 and the A40 to the M40 junction five. At one point there was a mile-and-a-half of solid Traffic on the southbound stretch approaching the accident.

Thames Valley police spokesman David Staines said: “One person was arrested at the scene on suspicion of death by dangerous driving.

“As yet we can’t confirm whether it is male or female.”

Highways Agency spokesman James Wright said: “This is a police-led incident. We may have some repair work to do when they leave.

“At the moment the traffic is not too bad, given how long the incident has been there. Traffic gets heavier from just after junction seven.

“However it could get worse as the Easter traffic hits the roads and we would encourage people to plan their journeys accordingly.”