M1 'bottled up' as lorry sheds load in crash

Multiple water bottles in clear and blue packaging are strewn across the motorway. A lorry and police car can be seen in the distance. Traffic travelling in the other direction appears to be queueing.Image source, National Highways
Image caption,

A number of bottles were spread across the carriageway

  • Published

A number of plastic bottles were strewn across the carriageway of the M1 motorway after a crash involving two vehicles.

Motorists on the southbound side at junction 21 in Leicester experienced a bottleneck in traffic after the crash at about 08:21 GMT on Thursday.

National Highways said the carriageway had been "bottled up", with traffic diverted via the exit and entry slip roads to keep a lid on disruption.

At 11:32, the agency said work to clear the road was complete and the carriageway was open.

The blue side covering of a lorry is ripped, exposing stacks of plastic water bottles inside. A trail of bottles is on the road behind the lorry.Image source, National Highways
Image caption,

The bottles have now been cleared from the carriageway, National Highways said

However, it said delays of 90 minutes remained on the approach.

Leicestershire Police said no serious or life-threatening injuries had been reported.

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