A serious crash between a lorry and a van saw a man taken to a London hospital amid rush-hour chaos.

The M2 was closed coast-bound between J4 for Gillingham and J6 for Faversham following the collision earlier this morning, with lengthy delays on the motorway and surrounding routes.

Emergency crews were in attendance and a man had to be cut from the wreckage.

A police spokesman said: "Kent Police was called to a collision between a lorry and a van between Junction 4 and Junction 5 of the coast-bound M2 near Rainham at 5.55am on Tuesday.

"Officers attended along with South East Coast Ambulance Service and Kent Fire and Rescue Service and a man was taken to a London hospital."

A fire service spokesman added: "Three fire engines attended, and crews used hydraulic rescue equipment to free one casualty who was handed into the care of paramedics and the air ambulance."

Road users were advised to divert via the M2 at J3 and travelling down Blue Bell Hill and on to the coastbound M20 to the A20 junction for Leeds Castle.

At Charing traffic will take the A252 eastbound to Challock roundabout and will then head north on the A251 to J6 of the M2.

Drivers were being stopped from leaving the Medway Services while there were also queues approaching the Stockbury Roundabout on the A249 and on the A2 approaching Faversham.

There were also tailbacks on the London-bound M2 as drivers try to get into the Medway Services while Bowaters roundabout is snarled up too.

Through Boxley, Maidstone-bound traffic was tailing back for two miles.

The M2 was reopened at around 9am.