A 26-year-old woman has died following a crash on the A6 in Cumbria.

Police were called to the scene, just south of the village of Shap, at around 8.30am today following reports that a Citroen car had collided with a mini digger, which was on a trailer.

The trailer was being pulled by Mercedes Sprinter van which was heading north. The car, being driven by the woman, was heading south.

A spokesman for Cumbria police said: "The driver of the car, a 26-year-old woman from the Penrith area, died at the scene as a result of the collision.

"She was the only occupant of the vehicle.

"The road remains closed in both directions with diversions in place as officers continue to investigate the circumstances of the collision."

Cumbria police is asking for witnesses to come forward and anyone with information should call 101, quoting incident number 33 of March 15.