Two dead as M1 auto drives ‘wrong way’

The elderly driver of the blue Mazda Premacy is believed to have been driving the wrong way along the carriageway before he smashed into a white Ford Transit can at 2.20am.

Leicestershire Police confirmed it had received reports of a auto travelling the wrong way down the southbound carriageway of the M1 prior to the collision, reports the Daily Telegraph.

The crash, near junction 24, happened at about 02:00 BST.

An 87-year-old vehicle driver and 27-year-old van passenger were pronounced dead on the scene at around 2AM, after a auto careered down the carriageway towards then.

The M1 southbound carriageway is set be closed until this evening 6 or 7pm following a fatal road traffic collision this morning, police have confirmed.

Motorists have been advised to avoid the area and closures are expected to remain in place until at least 10am.

Anybody with information about the incident, or saw either vehicle prior to the collision, should call Leicestershire Police on 101 quoting incident 23 of 12 October 2015.