A six-year-old boy has died and a man left seriously injured after a towing accident on a motorway.

Nathan Bonner from Essex died on Sunday after the crash on the M1 in Leicestershire.

Nathan, from Ilford, was taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary with the driver of the towed vehicle, but died later.

The M1 was shut for more than seven hours after the crash around 1530 BST, near junction 20, at Gilmorton.

Two arrested

Nathan was travelling in a Ford Fiesta that was being towed by a Ford Escort, on the northbound carriageway. The Fiesta was in collision with two other cars.

The man, who was in the towed vehicle, is believed to have suffered serious head and chest injuries.

A post-mortem examination will be carried out on the boy's body and an inquest is due to be opened into his death.

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and released on police bail.