POLICE have confirmed that Operation Stack, which had been in place since Tuesday afternoon, has ended.

The measure, which sees freight traffic queueing between junctions on the carriageway whilst non freight traffic is diverted onto the A20, was stood down at 3am today.

Phase one of the operation, which closes the coastbound M20 between junctions 11 (Hythe) and 12 (Folkestone), was introduced on Tuesday when horrendous weather conditions led to the closure of the Port of Dover.

On Wednesday, phase two - which shuts the motorway as far back as junction 8 (Leeds Castle, near Maidstone) had to be implemented after industrial action in France prevented sailings from Dover.

Stack was blamed for causing gridlock as far away as Maidstone town centre on Wednesday morning.

~ Picture gallery: Tuesday's storms >>>