A "very serious" crash on the M20 left a van driver trapped and traffic queueing for hours.

The coast-bound M20 near Folkestone reopened late last night.

The man was taken to Kings College Hospital in London with "serious crush injuries" in the head, upper leg and abdomen.

The accident happened shortly before 4.30pm on the coast-bound carriageway between Junction 11a for the Channel Tunnel and junction 12 at Cheriton.

The motorway was closed in both directions to allow the air ambulance to land.

Ambulance spokesman Rich Airey said Secamb sent five vehicles - three ambulances and two cars - as well as their HART (Hazardous Area Response Team) crew.

The van driver, a man aged in his 40s, was trapped in his vehicle with crush injuries to his chest and leg.

He was freed from the wreckage by firefighters before being transferred by road to hospital in London with "serious injuries".

No one else is thought to have been hurt in the crash.

The London-bound side opened at about 5.40pm but the coast-bound stretch remained shut until just after 9pm, when one lane reopened.

The remaining lanes reopened an hour later.

Three fire engines were called to the scene, as well as police and ambulance crews.

A KFRS spokesman said: "The van crashed into the back of the lorry. Paramedics were dealing with him when we arrived through a panel at the back of the van.

"We had to cut that and it was quite tricky.

"They carried him out through the back of the van. It was quite a difficult and complicated rescue because of the nature of the way they were entwined at the back."

A police spokesman said earlier: "Officers were called to the coast-bound carriageway of the M20, junction 11 at 4.26pm today following a report of a collision involving a van and a HGV.

"The air ambulance was called to the scene.

"The London-bound carriageway was closed to allow the air ambulance to land. It was reopened at 5.40pm."

Traffic was trapped for several hours and there were reports of cars turning around and trying to travel along the hard shoulder in the wrong direction to avoid queuing.

A Highways England spokesman said earlier: "Highways England is working hard with partners including the emergency services to re-open the M20 as soon as safely possible.

"Traffic on the coastbound M20 is being diverted at Junction 11 onto the A20 towards Folkestone and will remain on the A20 until junction 12 where it will re-join the M20.

"Freight traffic heading towards the Port of Dover is strongly encouraged to follow this diversion and re-join the M20 at junction 12 - and not to use the M2/A2 as an alternative.

"Tourist traffic heading to the port of Dover is advised to use the A2/M2."

A second crash involving two lorries on the A20 in Capel-le-Ferne at 4.40pm added to the congestion, but was cleared by 5.30pm.