KENT Police are appealing for witnesses after a tanker carrying potentially explosive gas crashed onto its side at the Monkton roundabout in Thanet.

The Scania five-axel lorry was travelling towards London on the A253 when the accident happened just after 5am on Friday. It caused traffic chaos in the area.

The German man driving the tanker suffered a broken collarbone and was taken to Queen Mother Hospital at Margate for treatment.

The truck was carrying Iso Butane and although there was no leakage from the vehicle, a 500metre exclusion zone was set up around the area s a safety precaution while specialists advised on the safe removal of the gas.

Roads around the immediate area were closed and police advised motorists heading away from the island to use the A28 from Margate and those travelling into Thanet to use the A256 from Dover, as other routes were severely congested.

It meant that hundreds of people were late for work and appointments are the gridlock tightened throughout the rush hour, with even the shortest of journeys taking up to two hours or more.

The roads around the stricken tanker were eventually reopened at 6.15pm after the truck was righted and towed away.

Anyone witnesses to the crash are asked to contact PC Graham Keep at Margate police station on 01843 222029.