Three women have been killed and six people injured in a collision between a van and a minibus on the M1 motorway.

The crash happened at about 1115BST on Wednesday near the Gateway Services, about a mile north of junction 3, near Edgware and Mill Hill in north-west London.

Police said a white Ford transit minibus, in which members of an extended family were travelling, had pulled on to the hard shoulder when it was in collision with a white Mercedes transit van.

On Wednesday afternoon there were severe traffic delays as the northbound carriageway was closed from J1 to J4 while police gathered forensic evidence.

One woman passenger from the minibus was taken to the Royal London Hospital by air ambulance but later died.

Two other women passengers were taken to Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow, but were dead on arrival.

Four adults and one child were taken by ambulance to Watford General Hospital, Herts and a man was taken to Northwick Park Hospital.

The van involved in the incident only contained the driver.