A man has died after falling from a bridge over the M20.

The motorway was closed for more than three hours after he fell from the Canterbury Road bridge in Ashford yesterday, having been seen “sat on the wrong side” of the railings.

Traffic was halted just after 3pm on the coastbound carriageway between junctions 9 and 10 while emergency services treated the man at the scene.

He died of his injuries on the motorway.

The road was briefly closed in both directions to allow an air ambulance to land just before 4pm.

The man was transported to a London hospital by land.

Commuters were diverted through Ashford in the meantime, causing widespread gridlock, and the A28 Canterbury Road bridge from which he fell was also closed off temporarily.

VIDEO: Police at the scene yesterday

Nigel Billinge, 53, who lives in Ashford, witnessed the incident.

He said: “I was driving towards Ashford from Canterbury past Bybrook Barn and on the right-hand side there was a queue of parked cars.

"It wasn’t until I got on top of the bridge that I saw a chap holding on. He was sat on the wrong side of the bridge.

"There was someone stood a yard from him who looked like he was trying to talk to him."

He then saw the man fall onto the motorway.

He said: “It was absolutely horrifying and sickening to witness that. My stomach just turned.

"There was a number of people there with their phones out, so I guess they were on the phone to the emergency services.

“I’ve heard about things like this happen before. But to actually witness it is sickening beyond belief.

"Your heart goes out to the chap, but equally to the people on motorway.

"I don’t know what happened as he fell.”

The coastbound carriageway fully reopened shortly after 6.20pm, as did the bridge.