There were severe delays around Dartford after a crash on the QEII bridge this morning which saw two people taken to hospital.

The bridge was shut for several hours, causing long delays for drivers - not helped by two further crashes and an unrelated car breakdown.

Lanes three and four reopened after 11am and the remaining lanes opened by lunchtime - but delays continued until about 4pm.

VIDEO: Footage from Stewart Hay from just after the crash early this morning.

Highways workers were called to carry out barrier repairs.

A spokeswoman for Essex Police said: "Police were called to the bridge shortly after 2am today (Wednesday, August 17) following reports that a white BMW 118 convertible car had been in collision with the crash barrier at the side of the carriageway.

"The woman driver had suffered serious injuries and has been taken to hospital in London where she remains.

"Her passenger, a teenage boy, had also been injured and was taken to hospital. He has since been released."

A spokesman for South East Coast Ambulance service said: "One ambulance attended the scene and took one patient to Royal London Hospital as a priority with suspected pelvic injuries."

East of England services also attended the scene and dealt with other casualties.

The A2 was also backed up as far back at the junction for the M2 at Shorne and the road network between Dartford and Gravesend was static.

Another accident on the A2 added to the chaos, near the slip road east bound at the B255 for Bean.

In Essex congestion tailed back to Stanford-Le-Hope on the A13, and to J28 for the A12 at the Brook Street Roundabout. The road around Grays and Lakeside was also not moving.

The bridge was closed from 2am, with traffic eventually allowed through the Dartford Tunnel from 5.30am.

There were also more delays earlier due to over-running roadworks at J30.

Police have now launched an appeal for information.

A spokesman said: "Officers are investigating the circumstances leading up to the collision and would urge anybody who may have seen the vehicle prior to the incident to contact them.

"Anybody that can help is asked to contact 101 quoting incident 42 of August 17."

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