Major motorway closed with drivers left stranded after crash as bank holiday motorists face huge delays

Traffic on the M1 has been forced to stop after a collision between two major junctions.

The crash has disrupted all northbound journeys, while emergency services assess the scene.

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The accident has taken place between Junction 12 (Flitwick) and Junction 13 (Bedford).

National Highways East have released an urgent message to drivers while work is done to clear the road.

The post reads: "Please be patient while emergency services assess the incident, we'll try and get you moving again soon."

Drivers have also been warned to expect lengthy delays.

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The accident comes on one of the busiest days to travel in the UK, as 17 million Brits hit the road on the bank holiday weekend.

Friday was projected to be the busiest day, with a staggering 3 million journeys.

However, Saturday was close behind with 2.9 million drivers expected to be on Britain's motorways.

Ahead of the weekend, RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “Although the Easter break was just two weeks ago, our figures suggest this weekend will still be hectic on the roads as millions take advantage of another bank holiday.

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“This week’s very warm weather may not last right into the weekend, but with lots of daylight hours, there’s still plenty of opportunity to get out and about.

“For drivers that have a choice, it’s best to avoid Friday evening as that’s when leisure traffic will clash with commuter journeys."

She also urged drivers to ensure that their tires were damage-free and that their vehicle's oil, coolant and screen-wash are at the right levels.

The UK experienced the warmest start to May on record, with temperatures reaching 28C in some parts of London.

That smashed the previous record of 27.4C which was measured in 1990 in Moray.

The warm weather, as well as preparations for VE Day on May 8, have also caused the spike in the number of drivers - alongside the bank holiday.