Police are warning motorists in the Oxford area to allow extra time for their journeys to work this morning, as the southbound carriageway of the A34 was likely to remain closed for hours following a serious collision.

At about 4.30am a 44-tonne lorry travelling southbound on the A34, just north of the Botley interchange, lost control and came to rest on its side, completely blocking the southbound carriageway.

A car transporter, carrying Jaguar cars, collided with the first lorry, trapping the driver in his cab and causing the transporter to shed its load.

A third vehicle, a 20-tonne HGV, then collided with the wreckage and ended up on its side.

The driver of the car transporter was cut from his vehicle and taken to the JR2 hospital in a very serious condition.

The other two drivers were also taken to hospital with minor injuries and shock. Traffic police at the scene said that the southbound carriageway of the A34 is likely to be closed for at least six hours while the vehicles and debris are cleared away.