Woman dies after crashes shut motorway

Google Blue motorway sign over M4 at Reading.Google
The motorway was fully shut between junction 8/9 for Maidenhead and junction 10 for Reading, before partly reopening on Thursday afternoon

A woman in her 30s died after the car she was driving on the M4 was involved in a crash with a lorry, police said.

The motorway was shut both ways between junction 8/9 for Maidenhead and junction 10 for Reading after two accidents at about 21:00 BST on Wednesday.

The woman's white Mercedes 220 was in a collision with a white Scania lorry on the westbound carriageway. Shortly after that, a second crash involving a grey Kia Sorento happened on the eastbound carriageway.

No one has been arrested and the eastbound carriageway reopened at about 13:40. The westbound carriageway opened at about 15:30.

BBC/Alex Meakin M4 motorway with no traffic due to closure following a crash.BBC/Alex Meakin
The stretch of motorway was closed following the crash on Wednesday shortly after 21:00 BST