A 'bin lorry fire' caused by a faulty engine resulted in long delays and heavy queues for frustrated drivers.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS) tackled the blaze from 10am until 3pm yesterday (30 May) on the hard shoulder of the M25, while motorists faced hours of waiting.

The lorry caught fire and leaked liquid including fuel on the road, leading to large sections of the M25 anti-clockwise being closed.

Three lanes were shut between J28 (Chelmsford, A12) and J27 (M11) but the fourth lane was reopened at 2pm yesterday.

RECAP: Our blog on the 'bin lorry' fire

There were reported delays of at least two hours, according to National Highways East. 

ECFRS station manager Howard Midwood had advised people to avoid the area while his team dealt with the fire, prolonged by compacted rubbish inside the lorry.

"Thank you to everyone in the traffic for your patience while we deal with this incident, we know it’s frustrating having to wait but your safety is our priority," he said.

Emergency resurfacing works are now complete, said National Highways East, and all lanes have re-opened on the M25 anti-clockwise.