Traffic levels have returned to normal this morning after a day of congestion hell around Sittingbourne.

A crash on the M2 between a lorry and three cars yesterday lunchtime led to thousands of motorists stuck in heavy traffic.

Sittingbourne came to virtual gridlock with routes in and out of the town swamped with vehicles.

Things came to a head at rush hour last night with the A249 Maidstone-bound carriageway hit especially bad.

Traffic was backed-up towards the Sheppey Crossing with motorists reporting difficulties getting off the Island.

And people attempting to get to the Stockbury roundabout were left sat in traffic for up to an hour.

A queue stretching several miles also formed on the Rainham road as people began returning home from work.

One frustrated driver said: “It was unbelievable; everywhere you went it was packed with traffic.

“I tried several shortcuts, but everywhere I went I ended-up stuck. I cannot remember it ever being that bad in the past."

The traffic chaos followed rail trauma earlier this week when Sittingbourne was cut off for two days following a fire at the side of tracks in Murston.