Operation Brock is set to return on the M20 tonight after being delayed by heavy snowfall.

The dreaded contraflow will be brought back between Ashford and Maidstone overnight, after having been postponed following heavy flurries.

Roads around the county were gridlocked following the snowfall on Sunday and early Monday morning, with gritters and snow ploughs working through the night to try and free stranded cars.

The M20 had been closed in sections between Junction 7 for Maidstone and Junction 9 for Ashford to allow workers to bring back Brock in anticipation of the Christmas season.

Sunday night was due to be the last closure, with the contraflow on the London-bound carriageway due to be fully open Monday morning at 6am.

However, the snow and freezing temperatures meant there was no way for workers to safely complete the work between Junctions 9 and 8 London-bound and Junctions 7 to 9 coastbound.

Now, highways bosses are set to close the motorway once more to complete the deployment of the contraflow system.

The closure will take place from 9pm tonight until 6am tomorrow (Wednesday), at which point Operation Brock will be in place.

The altered road layout sees lorries heading to the coast use one side of the M20 while all other traffic is restricted to a contraflow system on the opposite side.

This means that motorists travelling this direction won't be delayed if there are large numbers of HGVs heading to the ports.

Lorries going to mainland Europe are legally required to follow the signed HGV routes to the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel when Brock is on.