A good samaritan in a "sludge gulper" poured water on a lorry after it burst into flames on the M25.

Fire crews were called to the hard shoulder of the motorway between junctions two and three anti-clockwise at 6.15pm last night, with the blaze believed to have been caused by overheated brakes.

A nearby sludge gulper driver stopped and applied water to the trailer before the crews arrived on the scene, near Sutton-at-Hone, which limited the damage.

The fire was eventually completely extinguished by a hose reel and the contents of the trailer - believed to be grapes - were undamaged.

Three lanes of the motorway were closed but were reopened shortly after the fire was extinguished at 7pm.