A man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after three people died when their vehicle was hit by another going the wrong way on a slip road in Peterborough.

A Cambridgeshire police statement said the collision, on the Fletton Parkway, happened shortly after midnight on Sunday.

“Police were called to a collision involving two vehicles at the slip road to Stanground on the westbound carriageway,” the statement said. “One vehicle had driven down the slip road the wrong way and collided head-on with another vehicle, killing all three of its occupants.”

The arrested driver is also suspected of driving while under the influence of drink or drugs. Police said he was in a critical condition in hospital.

The chair of the Cambridgeshire Police Federation, Liz Groom, said in a tweet her thoughts were “with the families of those who have died” and members of the emergency services who attended the scene.