The M2 was shut for nine hours after the fatal crash

An elderly man killed in a horrific crash on the M2 has been named as Ronald Buckenham.

The 80-year-old, of Norwood Walk, Sittingbourne, was driving a silver Nissar car that is thougth to have hit the back of a Polish lorry last Wednesday.

An inquest into his death was due to be opened and adjourned at the Archbishop's Palace, in Maidstone, today - but has now been delayed.

The cause of Mr Buckenham's death has been given as multiple injuries, pending toxicology results.

The crash, which happened at about 1pm and closed a section of the coastbound carriageway near Gillingham for nine hours, also left Mr Buckenham's 74-year-old wife injured.

She was thought to have suffered injuries to her chest and abdomen.

Firefighters cut the roof off the wrecked vehicle to help paramedics release her before she was airlifted to King's College Hospital.

The lorry driver was not injured and no arrests were made.

Kent Police say three vehicles were involved - a large orange heavy goods vehicle, the silver Nissan and a Ford Fiesta.

Insp Martin Stevens, of the Kent Police Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: "We are really keen to speak to the driver of what we believe to be a white camper van which was in the area at the time.

"We believe the driver and the occupants may have some good information to help us with the circumstances of what happened."

He said it was too early to say if the camper van was involved in the crash, and could not comment on the road conditions at the time.

He added: "I would like to make a wider appeal to anyone, any motorists who were not able to stop at the time of the collision, to speak to us.

"We spoke to a number of people that stopped and I thank them for doing that; they gave us some good information, but there might be other people that were not able to stop.

"I would like them to come forward to tell us what they saw to help us piece this together."

The motorway was shut for nine hours while police investigated. Traffic was diverted along the A229 Blue Bell Hill, the M20 and the A249 - leading to lengthy tailbacks.

Witnesses are asked to contact the Serious Collision Investigation Unit appeal line on 01622 798538.