HARVEST took a surreal twist for one farmer who had to negotiate several wrecked cars as he combined his ripe corn.But the combining operation in perfect summer weather went on undeterred after a 40-tonne car transporter overturned and shed part of its load in the barley field at Horringer, near Bury St Edmunds.

HARVEST took a surreal twist for one farmer who had to negotiate several wrecked cars as he combined his ripe corn.

But the combining operation in perfect summer weather went on undeterred after a 40-tonne car transporter overturned and shed part of its load in the barley field at Horringer, near Bury St Edmunds.

The farmer cut the corn around the badly damaged Vauxhall cars, and left tiny patches surrounding the vehicles.

Several of the almost new cars, worth a total tens of thousands of pounds, were wrecked when the lorry overturned just before 3pm yesterday.

Two cars were sent flying 40 yards into the cornfield just off the A143 road near Great Horringer Hall.

A police spokesman said: "The 40-tonne transporter overturned and ended up on its side, shedding its load of nine cars. Several of the cars are all over the road and in the adjacent field and the road has been completely blocked by the accident."

It is thought four cars remained on the trailer when it overturned and will be written off. They became badly damaged when they smashed into each other as the grey and yellow Iveco Ford lorry overturned.

Rush-hour drivers faced lengthy delays as they were diverted away from the impassable road around country lanes off the main route between Haverhill and Bury.

The A143 was closed between the Cecil and Larter garage in Horringer and the Whepstead junction, on the Bury side of the crash scene.

The police spokesman said: "Although diversions have been put in place we have had to urge traffic to avoid the area if at all possible because of the inevitable delays while the vehicles are recovered from the road and the nearby field.

"It is thought the road will be closed for the foreseeable future."

Tarmac along the surface of the A143 was damaged during the incident, and a highways engineer was called. The roadway will now be repaired by Suffolk County Council.

No one was injured in the accident, which happened as the lorry negotiated a bend in the A143, and only the transporter and the shed cars were involved.

Police are investigating what caused the accident and are appealing for anyone with information to contact them on 01284 774100.