Van driver dies in motorway crash

A box van driver died when he lost control of his vehicle on the M1 in Bedfordshire in the morning.

Police said the large Mercedes van hit the central crash barrier near the Luton junction.

The vehicle was then propelled to the hard shoulder before coming to rest when it hit the rear of a lorry.

The man was found to be dead when the emergency services arrived and police are now trying to trace his next of kin, a spokeswoman said.

"Once we know his identity we can issue more details. All we know is that he was not a local man," she said.

The M1 was blocked in both directions by the crash and traffic was diverted through Luton and Dunstable.