Photo courtesy of Avon and Somerset Police

M5 closed after tanker overturns

A tanker has overturned on the northbound carriageway of the M5 resulting in closures in both directions.

Police were called just before 9am today (6 January) after a tanker, carrying kerosene, overturned just before the slip-road at junction 23 northbound.

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said: “The top of the tanker has split and kerosene has spilt onto the carriageway.

“There are full closures in place at junction 23 southbound (Bridgwater) and junction 24 northbound (Huntworth/Bridgwater).

“We’re working with our colleagues in the other emergency services at the scene and the remainder of the fuel will need to be removed from the tanker before it can be recovered.

“We’re currently trying to move all the vehicles backed-up between junctions 24 and 23 northbound.”

It is expected that the southbound carriageway will reopen at around 6pm this evening once the recovery of the tanker has been completed.