A SERVING soldier from Wiltshire has died after a horror crash on the M4 yesterday.

The victim, who has not been identified but who lived in Bristol, died when his blue Volkswagen Bora collided with the back of a DAFF 7.5-tonne box van at about 6.08am.

The accident happened on the eastbound carriageway between junction 17, the Chippenham turn-off, and junction 16.

Police said the dark green box van, which had a Hovis logo on the side, had recently pulled into lane one of the motorway after being on the hard-shoulder.

The Bora collided with the back of the lorry and became embedded in the underside. The driver of the Bora was taken to the Great Western Hospital in Swindon but died of his injuries.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the crash, or anyone who saw the box van on the hard-shoulder, to contact the Northern Road Policing Unit based in Swindon on 0845 4087000