A WOMAN from Newport died after a motorway crash near Bristol, police revealed last night.

The 44-year-old woman, named by Avon and Somerset Police as Una Hiscott and who was a passenger in a car, died on Sunday night after a car she was travelling in on the M4 tried to overtake a lorry.

No one else was injured. A spokeswoman for Avon and Somerset Police said: "She was travelling in a Mazda 323 from the M4 onto the M5 northbound on two-lane slip road at around 5.20pm, at junction 15, south Gloucestershire.

"As the car travelled along the slip road, which is two lanes, it attempted to overtake a lorry, mounted the grass verge and collided with a barrier and road sign."

Ms Hiscott died later that evening in Bristol's Frenchay Hospital. Police have not yet released details of what part of Newport she is from.

Officers are now trying to trace the driver of the lorry as they piece together how the accident happened.

Anyone who witnessed it can contact the Avon and Somerset Police's collision investigation unit on 0845 456 7000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.