Lorry jack-knifed on A500

THE A500 was closed in both directions for hours early today after a collision involving two HGVs and a police dog van.

The first lorry hit the central reservation near Stoke City's old ground at 2.50am and jack-knifed sending its contents into the opposite carriageway where the other two vehicles were hit.

Its female driver was taken to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire with lower back pain.

The southbound carriageway re-opened three hours later but the northbound was still sealed off during the morning rush hour.

In a separate crash at 8am, two vans collided on the D-road near the Sainsbury's distribution centre to add to the traffic chaos.