M25 becomes 'Road from Hell'

Surrey Traffic Police tweeted this photograph of the closed section of the carriageway Credit: @SurreyRoadCops

Motorists have reported delays of up to four hours after heavy rain caused part of the surface of the M25 to subside. Three lanes were closed anti-clockwise near junction 9 in Leatherhead. Drivers took to twitter as delays worsened.

The AA has described the M25 as "the Road to Hell" after a problem with the road surface led to three lanes being closed near Leatherhead. Tailbacks of up to 20 miles have been reported, with the Highways Agency warning the closures could last until lunchtime. AA president Edmund King said "The M25 is critical to the nation and today's incident highlights just how dependant we are on it to function 24/7"

The damaged road surface appears to have caused punctured tyres for many drivers:

The Highways Agency is warning that the carriageway may not be fully opened until lunchtime, as a specialist crew continues to attempt to repair the road.