A DRIVER is in a serious condition in hospital after he was hit in the head by a piece of debris as he travelled along the A12 in Essex.

A DRIVER is in a serious condition in hospital after he was hit in the head by a piece of debris as he travelled along the A12 in Essex.

The piece of metal crashed through his car windscreen after it was swept up by another vehicle.

The man had to be cut free from the vehicle by firefighters and the incident caused major delays for motorists.

The accident happened at about noon on the London-bound carriageway near the Marks Tey junction and minor accidents in queuing traffic added to the situation.

Both lanes of the southbound carriageway were closed for several hours and the congestion spread into nearby Colchester, creating gridlock for drivers around the town.

The man, who is in his 30s, was taken to Queen's Hospital in Romford, which specialises in head injuries.