A main route in and out of a village has been shut after fly-tippers dumped large amounts of roof tiles and dirt in the middle of the road.

School Lane, in Horton Kirby, near Dartford, has been forced to close for a second time this month due to the dumping.

Images show a large pile of earth, rubbish and brick tiles on the stretch blocking part of the country road which has been declared out bounds between house number 82 and Three Gates Road since 6am yesterday (February 19).

It could remain shut for a week while an investigation by Kent County Council (KCC) into the incident is carried out and a clean-up operation gets underway.

However, the highways authority estimates it will reopen at about 7pm on Sunday (February 25).

In the meantime, a diversion route has been put in place for vehicles via Three Gates Road, Canada Farm Road, Rabbits Road, Skinny Lane, Forge Lane and School Lane.

The same road was closed earlier this month when KCC was again forced to remove rubbish on a bend of the road.

And it comes just a week after a similar fly-tipping incident led to a road providing access to Dean Bottom, in South Darenth, being cut off.

The affected area is less than three miles away from Brands Hatch racing circuit.