Family killed in 'wrong-way' smash

A middle-aged mother and her son and daughter, both aged in their 20s, and their uncle were all pronounced dead at the scene of the accident on the southbound M1 in Bedfordshire.

Police said the family members, thought to be from the London area, were travelling in a Jaguar which collided with a Volkswagen Passat being driven in the wrong direction by a Polish man who also died.

The accident, which happened at the approach to roadworks, forced police to close the M1 for around seven hours.

Officers, who are urgently seeking witnesses, said the Volkswagen appeared to have been travelling north on the southbound carriageway when the crash occurred near Luton at around 11.20pm.

Both cars were badly mangled by the collision, which happened between junctions 10 and 11 and scattered debris over a large part of the carriageway.

Inspector Colin Bonner, from Bedfordshire Road Policing Unit, said he thought the Passat driver was heading south before he turned round and started driving north.

Insp Bonner said: "We don't know why this driver turned around - it may have been roadworks, he may have been confused or ill. We are desperate to hear from anyone who saw what happened."

Gary Sanderson, from the East of England Ambulance Service, said the five crash victims were quickly pronounced dead by paramedics.

He said: "The cars were unrecognisable and there was nothing that could be done for the people involved."