John
12-30-2009, 11:26 AM
A busy motorway had to be closed after a herd of pigs escaped and ran on to the carriageway.
The southbound M11 towards London was shut after a lorry carrying a consignment of 82 pigs crashed.
Essex Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene of the collision at Junction 8 near Stansted Airport to discover about 12 animals had escaped from the lorry and were running free on the road.
A spokesman said the carriageway was closed at 5.21am while emergency crews tried to round up the animals and secure them in a makeshift pen.
An Essex Police spokesman said about 50 of the animals, which each weigh about 20st, were trapped in the wreckage which was blocking two lanes, while the runaway pigs were grazing on the embankment.
"The southbound carriageway has been closed at Junction 8 and the road is likely to remain shut for around six hours while recovery work and repairs to the central reservation continues," said the spokesman.
"The northbound carriageway has also been closed and could remain shut for about two hours because of fears that the pigs could cross from the southbound lane and be a danger to road users."
He said the lorry driver received head and shoulder injuries in the collision and was taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow.
The southbound M11 towards London was shut after a lorry carrying a consignment of 82 pigs crashed.
Essex Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene of the collision at Junction 8 near Stansted Airport to discover about 12 animals had escaped from the lorry and were running free on the road.
A spokesman said the carriageway was closed at 5.21am while emergency crews tried to round up the animals and secure them in a makeshift pen.
An Essex Police spokesman said about 50 of the animals, which each weigh about 20st, were trapped in the wreckage which was blocking two lanes, while the runaway pigs were grazing on the embankment.
"The southbound carriageway has been closed at Junction 8 and the road is likely to remain shut for around six hours while recovery work and repairs to the central reservation continues," said the spokesman.
"The northbound carriageway has also been closed and could remain shut for about two hours because of fears that the pigs could cross from the southbound lane and be a danger to road users."
He said the lorry driver received head and shoulder injuries in the collision and was taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow.