A woman has been airlifted to hospital with potentially life-changing injuries following a collision on the M42.

West Midlands Ambulance Service attended the collision, which involved a lorry and a van, on the northbound carriageway of the motorway between junctions 6 and 7 near Bickenhill at around 1.40pm.

Traffic was closed in both directions while emergency services attended the scene, and so the air ambulance could land.

The southbound carriageway has since reopened but the northbound remains closed.

An ambulance, paramedic officer and the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance were sent to the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: "On arrival, crews discovered a van and a lorry had been involved in a collision.

"The passenger of the van, a woman, had to be extricated from the vehicle with the assistance of fire colleagues. Ambulance crews provided advanced trauma care for potentially life-changing injuries before she was airlifted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham for further treatment.

"The driver of the van, a man, was assessed and treated for injuries not believed to be serious before being conveyed by land ambulance to the same hospital.

"There were no other injured patients".

National Highways West Midlands said there are 90 minute delays northbound and 20 minutes southbound.

The road is not expected to reopen for a few hours.