A large container attached to a crane was left hanging precariously by one chain in central Croydon yesterday. The whole of Croydon flyover and Whitgift Street was closed as a safety precaution while engineers worked to make the crane and its broken chain secure.

Motorists and pedestrians were being urged to avoid the area to help ease congestion and for their own safety.

A Croydon Council spokesman said yesterday evening: "There is a crane as part of some works going on in Whitgift Street and one of the chains holding a container has broken, meaning it is lterally hanging by one chain.

"If a large gust of wind catches it, it's quite possible it could come down. There is heavy traffic congestion in the area. We don't think it is going to be fixed until tomorrow Croydon Tramlink said it had suspended services in the area after receiving a council warning about 4.30pm.

Roads were reopened at around 4am today.

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