A WOMAN cyclist has died after she was involved in a crash with a car on the A420 between Oxford and Swindon.

The accident happened at 8.15am on Saturday on the westbound carriageway between the Longworth and Charney Bassett junctions.

An ambulance crew arrived within minutes but paramedics were unable to save the 47-year-old woman, who died at the scene.

The driver of the car, a green Renault Laguna, was not injured, and no arrest was made by Thames Valley Police following the fatal collision.

Police accident investigators closed the road following the accident and traffic was diverted until shortly before midday.

Thames Valley Police spokesman Rebecca Webber said the victim, who is from the local area, has not yet been formally identified.

Ms Webber said: "We understand the cyclist was already on the carriageway when the accident happened.

"It's a fairly short stretch of road between the two junctions and she was not turning onto the A420 when the accident happened.

"She was on a normal pushbike. There may have been witnesses to the accident and anyone who can help should call police on 08458 505505."

A spokesman for South Central Ambulance said: "Within four minutes of the initial call we had an emergency care practitioner on scene, followed by the duty officer and one land vehicle.

"Unfortunately, the cyclist died at the scene of the accident. No other patients were transported to hospital."

Last month, a motorcyclist died following a collision with a car on the A420 in Oxfordshire, which has previously been dubbed the "road to hell", due to the number of serious accidents on it over the years.

The victim's red Yamaha DragStar motorcycle collided with a blue Citroen Saxo at Watchfield.

In another recent accident, five pigs died after the lorry they were being transported in overturned at the junction with the A415 at Kingston Bagpuize.

In August, Dr Thuli Whitehouse, 27, was given a 51-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, after a jury convicted her of killing father-of-two Robert Murrell, by dangerous driving on the A420 near Appleton in June last year.

In February, a 20-year-old pedestrian suffered life-threatening injuries after being hit by a car near the Longcot junction.

In January, schoolgirl Charmaine Pearce, 15, from Penhill, Swindon, died after being struck by a blue Renault Clio on the Swindon-bound carriageway near Cumnor.

And 30-year-old Omar Bazi was killed near Tubney last December when the BMW in which he was travelling collided with a lorry.

So far this year, there have been 23 deaths on Oxfordshire's roads.