One man has been freed from wreckage after a crash involving a car and a lorry on the M20.

Witnesses said the smash between junctions 8 and 9 just before 3pm has ripped the crash barrier clean off and left it straddling the coast bound carriageway.

Highways England and emergency crews are working at the scene, with KCC Highways issued a warning to motorists to use alternative routes and expect long delays.

The lorry careered off the road and came to a stop down a verge, with the driver freed and led to safety by Kent Fire and Rescue Service. He is now in the care of paramedics.

Two lanes remain closed past the scene to allow for ongoing recovery work.

Traffic was diverted along the A20 from the junction 8 turn-off, while bus provider Stagecoach has said its 10X service is delayed travelling to and from Ashford due to the accident.

A South East Coast Ambulance Service spokesman said: "We dispatched two ambulances, one officer and a number of our HART vehicles to the scene.

"The car driver was out of the vehicle uninjured. The lorry driver, a man in his 40s, was stuck in the cab for a while and although he did not appear to have been injured badly he was taken to William Harvey Hospital for assessment and treatment."

Emma Kennedy, actress, writer and television presenter, saw the incident and tweeted saying: "Never seen anything like it. Crash barrier entirely ripped off and straddling carriageway."