Traffic was held on Dartford Crossing following a crash and the evacuation of Lakeside shopping centre.

The mass exodus of the busy Essex retail outlet - caused by a power failure - contributed to queues building on the QEII Bridge as shoppers headed home to Kent.

At about 5.30pm, police also stopped all vehicles on the stretch clockwise between Junction 31 of the A1306 and Junction 1A of the A206 for Dartford after an accident.

Heavy congestion had already built up in the area following an earlier incident on the crossing, in which police were called to reports of concern for a woman on the busy bridge.

She was found by officers and taken to safety shortly after 4pm.

Read more: All the latest news from Dartford