‘Migrant smuggling’ sting brings M25 to a standstill: Police swoop on lorry and arrest driver causing seven-mile tailbacks after motorists spot people streaming out of the trailer
- ‘Police incident’ brings traffic to a standstill on the M25 near Brentwood, Essex
- Multiple police cars were seen surrounding a lorry on a lay-by this afternoon
- Witnesses saw people leaving a lorry on the side of the carriageway at 12.45pm
- A lorry driver, 45, was arrested at the scene suspected of immigration offences
- Drivers have been seen getting out of their cars during scorching 92F heat
A sting on a suspect migrant smuggling operation brought M25 to a halt this afternoon as police stopped a lorry and arrested its driver.
Police brought traffic to a standstill near Brentwood after witnesses saw people leaving the back of a lorry at around 12.45pm.
Highways England cameras show multiple police cars surrounding a lorry, police say a 45-year-old lorry from Romania has been arrested on suspicion of immigration offences.
Essex Police cars surrounded a lorry on the side of the M25 this afternoon after people were seen leaving a trailer earlier this afternoon
Traffic was held on the M25 this afternoon as police surrounded a lorry suspected to have been carrying migrants
Traffic was queuing for miles from around 1pm, with delays still remaining between Junction 27, the Theydon Interchange for the M11 and Junction 28 in Brentwood.
An Essex Police spokeswoman said: ‘We were called shortly before 12.45pm this afternoon, Friday 7 August, with reports that people were seen to be leaving from a lorry trailer on the M25 between junctions 28 and 27.
‘Officers quickly responded and have arrested a 45-year-old man from Romania on suspicion of immigration offences.’
The stoppage meant both carriageways of the motorway were closed on a day when many Brits were heading off to staycations, or to the beach.
Some passengers decided to take advantage of the closure by hopping out of their cars, with a couple of men pictured playing rugby on an empty carriageway.
Desperate motorists were seen getting out of their cars after the M25 was shut in Essex, following what appears to be a police incident
Other key roads around the country were gridlocked today as Brits looked to make the most of the August heatwave.
Motorists heading through Hampshire faced 15 miles of queues, with delays on the A31, M27 and M3 towards the coast.
Visitors to the South West were told to avoid busy beaches amid a rush to Cornwall, with the RNLI saying: ‘If you arrive at the beach and it is simply too crowded, consider moving on and spending your day elsewhere.’
Motorists took to Twitter to warn others not to go on the M25 today after Essex Police closed both carriageways near Brentwood
With daily highs in the South poised to remain above 30C (86F) until Tuesday, forecasters say it is the first official heatwave – lasting at least three days – since July 2019, when the UK record temperature was set in Cambridge.
However there is a thunderstorm warning in place for the whole of England next Monday and Tuesday amid fears over more than three inches (80mm) of rain, hail, lightning, power cuts and flooding ‘causing danger to life’.