Ferenc Szabo, 32, and Szilvia Szabone, 34, both from Banbury, died when the silver Vauxhall Astra they were travelling in hit a silver Vauxhall Astra van near the Williamscot junction on Tuesday.

A 21-year-old girl in the back of the car, believed to be a sister of Mrs Szabone, and the van driver, from Daventry, were taken to the Horton with serious injuries.

It is believed the car was heading to global logistics company Kuehne-Nagel in Chipping Warden, where the couple worked.

Paying tribute to Mr Szabo and Mrs Szabone, former Kuehne-Nagel worker Lisa Curry said she was in shock.

She said: "They were the most loving people ever; they will be missed by everyone."

Emergency services were called to the crash at about 5.30am. Mr Szabo and Mrs Szabone, both Hungarian, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Firefighters have said the icy conditions might have been a factor that caused the crash but Northamptonshire County Council spokesman Eva Duffy said representatives from its highways team had salted the road the night before.

Banbury's station manager Kerry Blair said: "This stretch of road is renowned for being particularly treacherous during the winter and often freezes with black ice."

Witnesses to the crash should call Sergeant Pete Jell on 08458 505505.

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