A WOMAN died in a horrific multi-car crash on a notorious stretch of motorway - two years to the day since three died in a crash near to the same spot.

The 60-year-old woman was at the wheel of a Nissan Almera which was travelling coastbound along the M20 when it was in collision with a Dutch-registered VW Caddy and a Fiat Punto, at 6.41pm on Thursday, between junctions 2 and 3, near Wrotham.

Firefighters from Swanley, Dartford and Larkfield attended and cut one woman with minor chest injuries free from the wreckage. They also freed the dead woman, who was from Capel-le-Ferne.

The central reservation was damaged and the road was closed from when the accident happened until 2am.

The driver of the VW Caddy, a Dutch national, was arrested for failing to provide a breath sample.

The accident on the same stretch of road where, exactly two years earlier, on the night of December 15, 2003, friends Kevin Wratten and Ricci Parker, and motorcyclist Jimmy Atirene died in a series of collisions in the dark.

The inquest into their deaths sparked the Kent Messenger’s Lights for Life campaign.

Thursday night’s accident was the second fatal accident in a day, after a collision on the London-bound carriageway, at junction 1 at about 5.32am.

The collision, between a foreign-registered heavy goods vehicle (HGV) and a Mercedes sprinter van, causing 20-mile tailbacks and disruption to surrounding roads.

The passenger of the Mercedes sprinter van was taken to Queen Mary Hospital in Sidcup where he later died from his injuries.

The driver of the Mercedes van was also taken to Queen Mary Hospital with minor injuries. Both men were from the Rotherhithe area.

The driver of the foreign-registered heavy goods vehicle, a French national, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and has since been bailed while investigations continue.

Kent Police are appealing for anyone with any information relating to both collisions to contact officers immediately on 01622 798 537.