A MAN was taken to hospital by air ambulance after a crash which closed the M40 for more than two hours and brought High Wycombe to a standstill.

The accident between junctions three and four happened after a lorry, towing a trailer, crossed the central reservation at around 1.20pm yesterday.

The lorry, which had been travelling to London, then collided with a Ford Granada and a Land Rover Discovery.

The 42-year-old driver of the Granada was rushed to the John Radcliffe hospital, Oxford, where his condition is described as serious but stable.

A 46 year-old woman and her 14 year-old daughter, travelling in the Land Rover, were taken to Wycombe Hospital, suffering from shock and a cut to the elbow and from a minor injury to the jaw.

The lorry driver, a man believed to be in his 20s, escaped with whiplash and was taken to Wycombe Hospital.

The crash caused chaos on the roads with long queues building up and Handy Cross roundabout becoming gridlocked.

One lane of the southbound carriageway was reopened around 3.30pm but the rest of the M40 was closed as police tried to recover the lorry and its load.

Three fire engines were used in the incident, with crews coming from Beaconsfield and High Wycombe.

Any witnesses should call PC Sam Byrne of Amersham traffic on 01494 465888