Traffic was in chaos in south Essex today after an articulated lorry overturned on the M25, forcing the motorway's closure.

The lorry careered into the central crash barrier and onto the opposite carriageway before overturning, at the A13 Lakeside junction just after midnight.

The driver was trapped inside with serious leg injuries for 40 minutes, before he was removed by a team of firefighters.

A paramedic provided on-the-scene treatment before he was taken to Basildon Hospital for treatment.

Police had to close the motorway between junction 30 Lakeside and junction 29 Basildon as firefighters struggled to move the lorry from the scene.

Police warned this would mean traffic chaos as the recovery operation was expected to last well into this morning's rush-hour.

Ambulance spokesman, Damien Gore said: "The local ambulance and a paramedic were conveyed to the scene immediately where they found a man with serious leg injuries. He was stabilised on the scene."