Three children and a woman from the same family have died after a crash on the A40 near Oxford.
Emergency services were called at 9.50pm on Monday to reports of a collision involving a silver Subaru people carrier and a white heavy goods’ vehicle.
The children, two girls aged four and eight and a six-year-old boy, and the 29-year-old woman were pronounced dead at the scene.
Two other passengers in people carrier, a 30-year-old man and an 18-month-old girl, were rushed to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, where they both remain in a critical condition.
The family are from Chinnor in Oxfordshire.
The driver of the HGV, a 56-year-old man, suffered minor injuries.
The collision occurred near to the railway overbridge just west of Oxford.
Thames Valley Police Senior Investigating Officer Sergeant Dominic Mahon, of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “We are in the very early stages of our investigation into this incredibly tragic incident that has resulted in the deaths of four people from the same family.
"I would appeal to anybody who was driving in the area at the time of the collision and witnessed what happened to please contact 101, or make a report online, quoting reference number 43200321914.
"I would also urge anybody who has dash-cam footage of the incident or either of the vehicles just prior to the incident to please not share this publicly, but contact police with this detail.
"The next of kin of the family have been made aware and are being supported by specially trained Family Liaison Officers."
Sgt Mahon also thanked the emergency services who dealt with the crash.
"Our officers and colleagues from the other emergency services were dealing with an extremely upsetting scene, and I would like to thank them for the work that they carried out overnight," he said.
“This is an absolute tragedy, and again I would ask the public and the media not to speculate as to the cause, as we continue to support the families of all of the victims.”
Officers remain at the scene and the road will remain closed in both directions for a considerable period of time, police said.
