A van has burst into flames on a busy motorway slip road in Surrey, bringing traffic to a standstill as crews tackled the blaze.
The fire broke out around 12pm today (August 12) on the M3 exit slip road from the M25 at the Thorpe interchange, causing significant disruption.
Five fire engines and a water carrier were sent to the scene.
A Surrey Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We received a call this afternoon around 12pm to a report of a small vehicle fire on the M3 exit slip road from the M25, between Chertsey and Camberley, at the Thorpe interchange.
"A small van had caught fire, with the entire vehicle alight.
"Crews remain at the scene tackling the fire.
"Ambulance services are also in attendance."
National Highways confirmed that all lanes were temporarily stopped, leading to long delays and more than three miles of congestion on the approach.
Traffic also tailed back onto surrounding routes including the M25 towards Junction 10 at Wisley and Junction 13 at Staines.
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Motorists reported being stuck for close to an hour in gridlock.
Despite the disruption, not all moments were grim.
An ice cream van was seen serving stranded drivers and passengers, offering a small comfort during the unexpected delays.
By 1.29pm, trapped vehicles were being released.
However, lane closures remained in place for recovery and clean-up operations, with National Highways advising drivers to expect ongoing delays.
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