One person has died and a number of others injured after an eight-car pile-up on the M25 at Lakeside.
The accident led to the closure of the M25 clockwise at Lakeside with Essex police expecting junction 30 southbound to remain closed into Tuesday evening.
One person died in the accident at Lakeside
Essex fire service said three HGVs and five other vehicles were involved in the crash at the junction just after noon.
Police said that one person died at the scene and two others were airlifted to hospital. Three people were trapped and had to be cut out of their vehicles.
Two lorry drivers have been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, the Essex Echo reported.
Details of the accident were reported on Twitter:
An eyewitness to the aftermath told the newspaper he had seen a Renault car pinned against the barrier on the hard shoulder by a lorry with other vehicles under another HGV.
Peter Hugwell, 24, of South Ockendeon, said: “It looked as though one lorry had gone into the other, then one had crushed the Renault against the wall.
“I think the fire brigade must have cut the roof off but I would be shocked if anyone could have survived that."