The A6 between Lelystad and Emmeloord was closed in both directions for a time on Thursday morning after one woman was killed in a crash during a sudden hail storm.

‘It came out of nothing,’ one eyewitness told Dutch media. ‘There were no problems at all and then suddenly the motorway was white.’

Six cars were involved in the pile-up. Sudden hail storms also caused problems on the A31 in Friesland and the transport department is warning drivers these can continue until mid morning.