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A woman and three young children were killed in the horror A34 pile-up, it was revealed today.

The four victims died in the eight-vehicle crash, which took place on the northbound carriageway between Chieveley and West Ilsley in Berkshire yesterday.

They include a 45-year-old female, two boys aged 11 and 13, and an 11-year-old girl, who are all believed to have been travelling in the same car.

The victims' identities are currently unclear, but police say they all lived in Bedfordshire. They were tragically pronounced dead at the scene near Newbury.

Another male victim was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after the rush-hour collision, while two others - including a teenager - were taken by ambulance to a separate facility.

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A 30-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and bailed by police following the devastating smash at around 5.10pm.

Investigators worked through the night to gather evidence and remove the wreckage of the eight vehicles which were involved in the pile-up.

They also repaired a section of the road to make it safe for reopening more than 12 hours after the incident.

Dozens of emergency services were dispatched to the scene including specialist medics from the hazardous response unit.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said today: "The collision involved four heavy goods vehicles and four cars. Four people - a 45-year-old woman and three children, an 11-year-old boy, an 11-year-old girl and a 13-year old boy all from Bedfordshire sadly died at the scene.

(Image: UKNIP) (Image: Geoff Woade)

"It is believed they were all travelling in the same car.

"South Central Ambulance Service also attended the collision. One man was flown by air ambulance to the John Radcliffe Hospital. He is still in hospital being treated for serious injuries.

""Two people - a man and a teenage boy were taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital by land ambulance with minor injuries and have since been discharged. Nine people sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene.

"A 30-year-old man from Andover was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and has been bailed until 5 October."

Chief Inspector Henry Parsons, head of the Joint Operations Unit for Roads Policing, added: "Our thoughts are with anyone affected by this tragedy.

(Image: Helen Thorne)

"Can I ask anyone who witnessed the collision, including anyone travelling on the southbound carriageway who saw anything they believe is significant, to contact police."

A police officer at the scene described it as 'very, very difficult' and said the four people killed were all travelling in the same car.

He said: "Tragically we now know that four people have lost their lives, all of whom were in the same motorcar, as a result of that collision.

"As you can imagine, four heavy goods vehicles and four cars, it is a big scene, a tragic scene. Officers have had to deal with that without help initially."

The speed of the vehicles would be looked at, he added. The crash took place at the M4 junction at Chieveley and West Ilsley, on the cusp of a hill.

This morning, Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Francis Habgood to express his shock.

He posted: "A truly awful accident on the A34 yesterday - my thoughts are with those affected by this tragic event."

Michelle Archer, a spokesman for South Central Ambulance Service. said the team assessed and treated a total of 16 patients after the crash.

"Four people were confirmed deceased at the scene," she said.

"Two patients were taken by land ambulance to Royal Berkshire Hospital with minor injuries.

"One patient, a male, was flown to the John Radcliffe Hospital with serious injuries.

"Nine patients were assessed and treated at the scene but didn't require hospital treatment."

Tailbacks stretched for six miles from the A23 last night into neighbouring Hampshire following the tragic pile-up.

Shell-shocked bystanders could been climbing out of their vehicles and waiting in the road as the chaos unfolded.

The horror crash comes almost exactly 10 years after a tragic family of four were killed on the same stretch of road when their car was crushed between a transporter and a lorry.

The Dowling family were driving home from a sunny holiday in France in August 2006 when they were crushed in a seven-car pile-up after lorry driver Ian King fell asleep behind the wheel and shunted into a group of cars.

Malcolm Dowling, 46, and his wife Janice, 42, tragically died alongside their two sons Richard, aged 16 years and 11-year-old George.

They were travelling towards their home town in Staffordshire when their Peugeout was crushed between the car transporter and the juggernaut.

At least seven cars were involved in the pile-up and the Dowling family were pronounced dead at the scene.

King, a lorry driver from Leicestershire, was arrested and charged with four counts of causing death by dangerous driving following the horrific crash in the middle of the afternoon in 2006.

He was on the return leg of a trip from Leicester to Southampton, Hants., to deliver a stone crushing machine when the tragic crash happened.

King was jailed for three years and nine months at Oxford Crown Court in January 2008.