Road closed as lorry carrying digger hits bridge

National Highways said a "complex and lengthy" recovery operation was under way after the lorry hit an overbridge

The A52 in Nottinghamshire is closed eastbound after a lorry carrying a digger hit a bridge.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said three crews were sent to the A52 Radcliffe Road near Radcliffe on Trent on Thursday morning.

The eastbound side of the A52 has been closed between the A6011 at Gamston and the A46 near Bingham.

Drivers have been urged to avoid the area while emergency services attend and diversions are in place.

The scene in Radcliffe Road after a lorry, carrying a digger, hit a bridge on Thursday

National Highways said a "complex and lengthy" recovery operation was likely to be ongoing into the afternoon.

One motorist, Amer Ghani, 53, a broadband engineer from Nottingham, said he was stranded in traffic just past Stagglethorpe Road towards the RSPCA in Radcliffe on Trent.

He witnessed the crash as he drove towards Nottingham at about 11:00 BST.

"A JCB on the back of a low-loader hit a bridge and came off," he said.

Mr Ghani rerouted back in the opposite direction, but the traffic was "bumper- to-tail".

"A police officer came down and told some of us that unfortunately the JCB has spilt diesel oil and there could be a possible gas leak, so they are waiting for the relevant services to come and do the clean up and check the gas."