The A12 has reopened after police closed the northbound carriageway due to an oil spill.

Traffic officers from Essex Police closed the northbound carriageway from junction 27 (Spring Lane) to junction 28 (Colchester North Interchange) earlier this morning.

The closure was due to a rupture in broken down lorry’s fuel tank, resulting in a “large” amount of oil leaking onto the road.

In a tweet, a Highways England spokesman warned drivers to plan their journeys “well in advance”.

Highways England cleaning crews were called to the scene alongside a recovery crew for the lorry.

Further disruption also hit the southbound carriageway near Hatfield Peverel following an earlier single vehicle crash.

The road was closed between Hatfield Peverel and Boreham while police conducted investigation work, although it reopened shortly before 11.30am.

The extent of any injuries sustained during the crash is not currently known.