DRIVERS suffered major delays on the M40 southbound yesterday morning following a crash between two lorries.

The carriageway was closed at junction six for Watlington at about 5.15am, causing hold-ups for commuters heading from Oxfordshire to London.

Motorists travelling to the airports had to sit in their vehicles and wait for the lorries to be cleared before continuing their journeys. Some were forced to reschedule flights.

Ambulance service spokesman David Gallagher said a 36-year-old man was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital with head and leg injuries but they were not thought to be life-threatening.

Drivers were diverted away from the area and traffic queued about seven miles back to junction 8A at Oxford before the southbound carriageway was reopened at 9am.

Some drivers were forced to stay in their vehicles for over an hour while the incident was dealt with.

One motorist from Oxford said: "I set off about 6.15am and jumped straight on to the M40 and got caught up in the delays.

"I was due to get a flight from Stansted Airport at 10.30am so I had to reschedule."

Mr Gallagher added that staff were also called at 8.15am to reports of a two-car collision near junction 10 on the northbound carriageway.

He said both vehicles left the road and two patients were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

One of them, a 41-year-old man, was also taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford with minor back injuries.