MOTORISTS on the A14 are facing major delays today as a vehicle fire has closed the road in both directions.

MOTORISTS in the region suffered a morning of chaos today after two major incidents on the M11 and A14.

Drivers on the A14 were left facing major delays after police closed the road in both directions when a van containing oxygen cylinders caught fire.

The incident happened at Rowley Mile Services, near Newmarket as the van travelled along the Ipswich-bound carriageway at around 8.17am.

While the fire service dealt with the incident, diversions were put in place but police urged motorists to avoid the area and to find alternative routes where possible.

A 14 traffic travelling from Bury St Edmunds was diverted off the A14 at the A142 junction and directed via the A1123 and A10 back to the A14 at Cambridge.

Traffic heading towards the A14 on the A11 from Stansted direction was being diverted at Six Mile Bottom and through Newmarket.

No one was hurt in the fire.

A police spokesman said diversions were likely to remain in place until well into the afternoon.

Earlier in the day thousands of holiday makers travelling from Stansted airport faced a morning of misery after a road accident caused long delays.

A lorry jack-knifed on the M11 at around 1.45am and the road was not re-opened until around 9am.

An Essex police spokesman said: “The road was due to be open by 9am but recovery took some time because there were around 30 tonnes of potatoes on the lorry which had to be unloaded before it could be moved.

“There was also some fuel that leaked on to the road.”

The road was closed between junction eight (the Stansted airport junction) and junction nine (Harlow).

No-one was seriously hurt in the accident.

Robbie Barrigan, spokesman for the airport, said: “If people do miss their flights we would urge them not to panic as airlines will get them booked on the next available flight.”