Thousands of people were stuck in traffic jams for up to four hours after a series of crashes on the A34 including one in which a man died brought roads to a standstill.

The dual carriageway was closed in both directions, leaving drivers stranded as emergency crews dealt with the injured and cleared damaged vehicles off the road.

Other roads also became congested as motorists tried to find alternative routes to avoid the jams.

An Oxfordshire Ambulance Service spokesman said last night: "It has been an absolute nightmare out there."

Thames Valley Police spokesman Tim Prince added: "For about four hours it was chaos for the people stuck in the queues.

"There were various breakdowns and nudges while people were stuck, which served to slow things down more. Abingdon was gridlocked as well. The roads around the A34 were very busy."

In the worst accident, a male pedestrian died after being struck by a Ford Escort on the northbound carriageway of the A34 at Chilton at 3.10pm. The car driver was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford with facial injuries.

Police closed the road until 6.30pm in both directions at West Ilsley, the northbound carriageway past Chilton, and the southbound access slip roads at the Milton and Marcham interchanges after the accident.

A man with suspected multiple fractures was airlifted to the JR after an accident involving one car near the turning for West Ilsley and East Ilsley, in Berkshire, at about 1.50pm.

At 2.30pm, paramedics were called to an accident involving seven cars on the northbound carriageway between the Peartree interchange and Kidlington. One person with minor injuries was taken to the JR. One lane was still closed into the evening.

At 2.45pm, paramedics were called to an accident involving two cars on the southbound carriageway near Abingdon. One person was treated for shock.

Fire crews also dealt with an incident on the southbound carriageway at 3.35pm, when a car suffered fuel problems due to a mechanical fault. Chris Wilson, station manager at Oxford's Rewley Road fire station, said: "Luckily, the fire engines were nearby and we managed to help and avoid a catastrophe."

Further north, there were accidents on both carriageways close to junction 9 of the M40, at Wendlebury, later in the afternoon.

A two-vehicle collision on the westbound A40 at Wheatley, at about 4.35pm, blocked one lane and caused long delays.