Engine noise

[1961ed1961]

I was out in the van earlier returning home coming down the motorway when it begun to make a clattering noise, it sounds like the valves to me , I managed to get off the motorway safely but as soon as I dipped the clutch the engine cut out. After being towed home I looked under the bonnet and nothing obvious there , no warning lights came on temp gauge normal prior to clattering noise , as anyone had a similar incident. It is a 1.9 diesel van 20 years old with 102,000 miles under its belt, it will start but makes a loud clattering noise. All fluids are present and its serviced regularly.