A VOLVO transporter lorry carrying another Volvo HGV on its back caught fire on the M20 at Maidstone last night adding to a night of traffic misery.

Police closed two lanes of the motorway while the fire was dealt with. Only 45 minutes earlier, Kent Police had been forced to implement Operation Stack to contain HGV vehicles unable to cross the Channel at Dover because of industrial action in France.

With roadworks on the M20 at junction 11, the police had to go straight to Phase 2 of their holding operation and queue the trucks on the motorway between junctions 8 and 9, the Hollingbourne and Ashford turn-offs.

Kent Fire Brigade took less than 30 minutes to extinguish the flames on the Volvo lorries which had stopped on the M20 coast-bound carriageway between junctions 6 and 7, the Sandling and A249 turn-offs.

But Operation Stack was not lifted until 12.20am. Further problems were caused by a collision between two lorries on the A20 between Folkestone and Dover, which resulted in one lorry overturning.

The road was blocked in both directions after the accident at 8.50pm and was not re-opened until 1.45am.