A man who became trapped in his burning van after a crash on the M20 died of smoke inhalation, a coroner's court heard today.

The driver, whose identity is not yet known, also suffered severe burns after his Fiat Ducato ploughed into a parked DAF roadworks lorry on the hard shoulder of the London-bound carriageway on Thursday, January 28.

The van then caught fire with witnesses reporting flames as high as four two-storey houses.

The incident completely closed the M20 between junction 4 for Leybourne and 3 for Borough Green and left motorists stranded for more than an hour.

Police are still working to identify the man, believed to be a man in his 50s of eastern European descent.

Next of kin have not yet been informed.

Dr David Rouse, a pathologist at Medway Maritime Hospital, gave a cause of death as smoke inhalation with severe burns listed as a secondary cause.

Assistant coroner Kate Thomas ordered reports to be prepared by emergency services and adjourned the inquest until May 17.