Cambridgeshire firefighters delayed on 999 call to M11 crash by fly-tipped rubbish blocking road

Sawston firefighters found the road blocked by some illegal flytipping.
Credit: Sawston Fire Station
Debris blocking the service road delayed firefighters' response to a crash on the M11. Credit: Sawston Fire Station

Firefighters responding to a 999 call after a motorway crash were delayed after finding flytipped rubbish blocking the road.

Crews from Sawston in Cambridgeshire were headed to a road crash on the M11 when they came across piles of debris in their path on a service road.

They were able to clear the rubbish with other crews and said the delay was "minimal", but have urged people to report fly-tipping in their area.

"On a serious note, careless actions, such as this, could have resulted in a much worse outcome for those involved," they said in a Facebook post.

The fire engine was unable to get around the debris blocking the road. Credit: Sawston Fire Station

"First time for everything I suppose!" they wrote.

"Last night we were mobilised to a road traffic collision on the M11. Unfortunately our turnout was delayed due to fly-tipping on a service road.

"Thankfully, due to a great collaborative effort by crews from Linton Community Fire & Rescue Station, Saffron Walden Fire Station and ourselves, this was minimal."


Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know