A huge 72-mile diversion is to be in place for this weekend's full M2 closure... with drivers being sent through Operation Brock on the M20.

The coastbound stretch of the M2 between Junction 5 for Sittingbourne, Sheppey and Maidstone, and Junction 7 at Brenley Corner, near Faversham, will be shut from 8pm tonight.

The closure will last for 58 hours - wiping out all of Saturday and Sunday - and reopening at 6am on Monday.

An official detour route takes motorists down Detling Hill, onto the M20, through the Brock contraflow, down to Dover and up the A2 past Canterbury to Brenley Corner.

While the coastbound M2 is to be completely closed for 12 miles, the motorway will remain open in the opposite direction, on the London-bound side.

National Highways is enforcing the closure in order to carry out bridge repair and waterproofing works.

It will mark the first of six full weekend closures, with the second set to be enforced coastbound next weekend between May 20 and 23.

Further work resulting in the closure of the London-bound side is due to take place at later dates.

This weekend will see drivers travelling to the east of the county from Swale be directed off the M2 at Junction 5.

After going down the A249 Detling Hill they will be sent onto the M20 where they will join the 50mph restriction in the ever-lasting Brock contraflow.

The traffic management scheme, brought in two months ago as a way of attempting to reduce queues at Dover, is set to remain in force during next week.

Fed-up motorists have continually called for the "pointless" system to be removed, but highways bosses say it will be kept in place this weekend and the situation reviewed on Tuesday.

After going through Brock and onto the A20 into Dover, drivers will then be directed up the A2 past Lydden.

The A2 on the approach to Canterbury is down to one lane to allow for the extension of the off-slip at Wincheap, and Brenley Corner has been blighted by traffic misery for the past eight weeks due to the knock-on impact of Brock.

The M2 closure will impact travel to a host of events which are being held across Kent this weekend, including those heading back from the British Touring Car Championship round at Brands Hatch.