A broken down builder’s lorry caused traffic nightmares during the Tuesday morning rush hour.

Drivers travelling to and from Whitstable and Canterbury faced long delays to their journeys as they travelled through Blean.

The lorry was left stranded across both sides of the road as it tried to back into a site in Blean Common around 7.50am. Traffic, including five school buses, was forced to divert along Chapel Lane and School Lane.

Police spokesperson Jane Walker confirmed a mechanic arrived on the scene at 9.15am to repair the lorry.

She said: “It would appear a pipe burst on the vehicle as he tried to reverse down a driveway and fluid began to spill across the road.

“Patrols were soon on the scene to divert traffic around the incident in both directions.”

Tailbacks went as far back as the Thanet Way junction in Wraik Hill, Whitstable and the road was eventually reopened at 9.44am.