Ethan McLeod, a 21-year-old footballer for Macclesfield FC, has died in a road traffic accident on the M1 motorway.

The forward, who came through the Wolves academy, was returning from Bedford Town following Macclesfield’s 2-1 victory on Tuesday night when his white Mercedes collided with a nearside metal barrier near junction 15 for Northampton around 10:40 pm.

Despite immediate help from members of the public and responding officers, McLeod was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash led to an overnight closure of the M1, which reopened at 7:30 am the following morning. Police are urging anyone with dashcam footage or relevant information to come forward to assist with their investigation.

Macclesfield FC expressed their sorrow in a statement on Wednesday afternoon, paying tribute to McLeod and mourning the loss of the promising young forward.