Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to a road crash in Co Offaly that claimed the life of a man in his early 80s.

It happened at about 9:30am this morning when the car he was driving struck a ditch at Taylor's Cross on the Banagher to Birr Road.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene and removed to the mortuary at Tullamore Hospital.

The road remains closed this afternoon to allow for a forensic examination to take place.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Birr garda station on 057-9169710 or the Garda Confidential Line at 1800-666-111.