The M25 has reopened, more than 24 hours after a fire engulfed a Tesco lorry.

The serious blaze broke out on Sunday evening on the clockwise carriageway between junction 5 for Sevenoaks and junction 6 for Godstone.

Five fire engines and two water carriers were called to deal with the fire at about 10pm and crews were at the scene for 10 hours.

Drivers faced delays and diversion routes were in place throughout yesterday, causing traffic chaos for many.

As well as the full closure of the M25 clockwise carriageway, lanes three and four were closed on anticlockwise between Godstone and Sevenoaks while recovery and repair work was carried out.

The M26 London bound from junction 2A for Wrotham to junction 1 for the M25 was also shut.

National Highways said the blaze caused major damage to the road surface and central reservation barrier.

Due to the intensity of the fire, the recovery of the vehicle was complicated as parts of it disintegrated.

Video footage shows the lorry travelling along the M25 when it appears to hit a safety barrier and become engulfed in flames before coming to a standstill.

Debris was removed from the carriageway, and specialist cutting equipment was used to dismantle the remaining parts of the vehicle on site.

The road reopened at about 4am.

A Tesco spokesperson confirmed the incident involved one of its vehicles, and the company is supporting emergency services with their investigations.

The driver suffered minor injuries, according to Surrey Police.

A National Highways spokesperson said: “All closures have now been removed and the scene is clear. Thank you for your patience, it’s much appreciated.”

The Dartford Tunnel has also fully reopened after a “large liquid leak” caused “extensive damage”.

Two lanes were shut on the motorway anticlockwise between Dartford and Lakeside after the spillage from a maintenance vehicle during overnight works.

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