Police have reopened the Sheppey Crossing after a "serious incident" on the A249 closed the link to the Isle of Sheppey today.

The road was closed in both directions to allow the Kent Air Ambulance helicopter to land.

One Sheppey taxi driver said at the height of the disruption: "It is just chaos. The police have closed both the Kingsferry Bridge and the Sheppey Crossing. There is no way anyone can get off the Island. The whole place is gridlocked.

"I was supposed to be picking up a fare from Sittingbourne but I have had to call to say I can't get there. It's ridiculous."

Police denied they had closed the Kingsferry Bridge but said they had stopped some motorists trying to jump the queues by driving down slip roads the wrong way.

The road was closed for a medical emergency after an elderly male passenger in a car suffered a heart attack.

The Kent Air Ambulance was called and flew him to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.

The Crossing was closed at about 11.30am and reopened at 12.30pm. Traffic is now said to be flowing free. The man was still in a critical condition on Tuesday.