A MAN was killed in a horrific accident which closed part of the M2 for more than four hours. The crash happened on the coastbound side of the motorway, a mile before junction five at Sittingbourne (Laura Patrick writes).

The male driver of a yellow Mercedes Sprinter van died when the van careered into the central reservation. He has not yet been named.

It is believed one of the van's tyres burst and caused the van to roll over three times in Saturday's crash.

Fire and rescue crews from Medway and Sittingbourne used hydraulic equipment to cut a female passenger free from the footwell of the van.

The London-bound lane of the motorway was closed while the Kent Air Ambulance took her to Maidstone Hospital where she was treated for injuries to her head, neck, and abdomen.

Her condition was later described as critical.