Old Severn Bridge reopens nearly two days after lorry overturned

The bridge was fully closed during the recovery operation which started just before 20:00 on Tuesday

A bridge that was closed after a lorry blew over during high winds has reopened after almost two days.

The M48 old Severn Bridge was shut in both directions at about 11:45 GMT on Monday after a "sudden spike in winds".

The westbound carriageway reopened at 22:00 and the eastbound at 03:00 after a two-hour operation to recover the lorry on Tuesday evening.

The lorry driver received treatment for minor head injuries. Highways England thanked people for their patience.

It said lane one would remain closed to repair safety barriers but said traffic could pass in lane two.

Chris Leadbeater, from Highways England, said: "Recovery of the vehicle was always going to be difficult given its location and this was made even more challenging due to the fluctuating wind speeds.

"Gusting winds across the bridge were the biggest hazard to recovery - wind speeds there were far higher than those experienced on land, and as a result, the operation had to be delayed until we had a safe window.

"We are working hard to carry out the emergency barrier repairs and other work as quickly as possible and we are cautiously optimistic that we will have both lanes running by the evening peak."

All restrictions were lifted by 18:40.

The lorry was blown over at about 11:45 GMT on Monday on the eastbound carriageway