The Sheppey Crossing was shut to drivers trying to get onto the island after a car broke down this morning (August 31).

The bridge had been closed to allow recovery services to remove the broken down vehicle from the carriageway, which has no hard shoulders.

Kent Police was called to deal with the incident around 11.45pm.

A spokesman for the force said: "We have a broken down vehicle on the Sheerness-bound carriageway of the crossing.

"The vehicle needs to be recovered and until it can be, the Sheerness-bound carriageway needs to be closed."

Drivers were being advised to use the old crossing to get onto the island while the car was being recovered.

Traffic was queued back to the Sittingbourne turnoff on the A249.

The carriageway was reopened shortly before 1pm.