M1 crash: Two dead after car 'drives wrong way down motorway'

Two people have been killed in Leicestershire in a car collision following reports of a vehicle driving the wrong way down the M1. A white Ford transit van and a blue Mazda Premacy were involved in the crash near to junction 24 of the southbound carriageway.

The 87-year-old driver of the Mazda and a 27-year-old, who was a passenger in the van, were both pronounced dead at the scene. Leicestershire Police said prior to the collision, officers received a report of a car travelling the wrong way down the southbound carriageway of the M1.

Police warned the southbound carriageway and one lane of the northbound are currently closed between junction 25 and 24 and are expected to remain shut for most of the morning, including during the rush hour. Diversions are in place and motorists are advised to avoid the area.

Anyone who has information about the incident or saw either vehicle prior to the collision, is asked to call police on 101 quoting incident 23 of 12 October 2015.