A motorway has reopened after a huge pothole forced the road to be closed for most of the day.

Drivers faced major delays after the M2 coastbound section between Gillingham and Stockbury was shut because the crater was making it hazardous for motorists.

One lane remained closed while the final works are carried out but the motorway fully reopened just before 5pm.

Queues were tailing back towards the Rochester turn-off at junction 2 for two-and-a-half miles, Highways England said at 3.35pm.

The motorway was fully closed between junctions 3 and 5 for emergency repairs.

Motorists faced further problems after two incidents on the diversion route down Blue Bell Hill.

A lorry crashed with a car on the Taddington Roundabout at junction 3 shortly at about 2.45pm.

Another truck added to the traffic woes when it broke down on the link road between Taddington Roundabout and Lord Lees Roundabout about 30 minutes earlier.

Initial estimates from Highways England suggested the road would be closed until 2pm.

Spokesman Howard Rhodes confirmed the tarmac was laid at about that time following an assessment by highways officers.

Traffic was being diverted to the A229 to join the M20 before returning to the M2 via the A249.

At 10.36am, Highways England announced a full closure of the M2 between junction 3 for A229 Maidstone and Chatham and junction 5 for Sittingbourne and Maidstone will be enforced.

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