A YOUNG army private from Oxfordshire was among three servicewomen killed when a lorry ploughed into their broken-down minibus on a French motorway.

Ms Louise Jones, 21, from Bicester, was part of a seven-strong armed forces basketball team heading to England for a tournament. The tragedy happened after the minibus had stopped on the hard shoulder of the A16 highway at Oye-Plage, near Calais.

Ms Jones, who was single, was serving in Germany with the 7th Transport Regiment of the Royal Logistic Corps.

A Dutch lorry driver is being questioned by French police about the crash, which happened in the early hours of Wednesday. It is believed the minibus was on the hard shoulder of the motorway with its hazard lights flashing.

The team were the reigning champions travelling to represent their regiment in the RLC Basketball Championships.

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