TRAFFIC is flowing freely again on two of the county's major roads after an overturned tanker near Ipswich today was recovered.

TRAFFIC is now flowing freely on two of the county's major roads as the overturned chemical tanker near Ipswich has been recovered.

Long delays brought havoc to the morning rush hour period following the accident on the roundabout linking the A12 and A14 at Copdock at about 6am.

Queues around the area quickly built up as police worked to recover the stricken vehicle from the road, while diversions were quickly put in place.

Suffolk police said the lorry had been recovered and traffic was returning to normal.

A spokesman for Suffolk police revealed that had there been a spill from the chemical load it could have posed an environmental hazard.

The chemical being carried in drums on board the lorry was a liquid form of calcium hydro chlorite-an industrial chemical.

The police spokeswoman said: “There was the potential to cause a hazard to the environment if it leaked but it didn't.”

Queues around the area quickly built up as police worked to recover the stricken vehicle from the road, while diversions were quickly put in place.

Their job was made more difficult when a second lorry broke down in the same area.

By 8am queues were stretching as far south as Tattingstone on the A137.

The slip road where the accident happened was expected to be closed for some time while the vehicle was waiting to be recovered.

The driver got out of the lorry before the emergency services arrived and was taken to Ipswich Hospital for treatment to minor injuries he sustained in the crash.

A Suffolk police spokesman said: “The lorry overturned as it was coming off the A14 westbound, heading towards the A12 southbound carriageway.

“As emergency vehicles were on the scene, local diversions were put in place.”

A lorry overturned in a similar spot on March 18, which led to lengthy tailbacks.