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Car damaged by river of sewage on M2 between junctions 2 and 3

A motorist has described the moment his car was swept across the carriageway as a flood of sewage swept down a hill onto the M2.

The Mondeo driver was the first to hit the waste and sludge as he made his way home to Cuxton.

It happened near Borstal last Sunday, with the road having to be closed in both directions for more than three-and-a-half hours.

The damaged Mondeo
The damaged Mondeo

It is understood the sewage escaped from a septic tank in a field at the top of the hill near the prisons and secure training centre.

It was burst by machinery carrying out work there.

The accident, which happened shortly before 5pm, was caught on camera by another man Mark Andrews, who took video of the mess pouring down the field and onto the road.

As it cascaded down, it also brought stones onto the carriageway which severely damaged the Cuxton man’s car.

The 42-year-old car owner, who didn't want to be named, said: “I was the first to hit the sludge as it came across the central reservation.

The sewage pouring down the hill
The sewage pouring down the hill

“My car definitely moved in the sludge.

“I am a HGV driver so know I have to take my foot off the brake when you hit water so you don’t aquaplane.

“It was something like out of a disaster film, like the Day After Tomorrow or something.

“I was travelling at 70mph and it was very scary.

“I didn’t know what was going on at first. I just saw this wall of water and stones gushing towards us.

“It was so frightening. My wife and I were in shock, we are just lucky we escaped unharmed and are still here to tell the tale.

The sewage poured down the hill and onto the M2
The sewage poured down the hill and onto the M2

“We were on our way back home from Sittingbourne, we had been at my sister’s.

“In the end I carried on driving through it as we were getting off at the next junction.”

When the couple returned home, the man was able to assess the damage.

He added: “I’ve been told the vehicle, which is sort of a classic car, is virtually a write-off.

“The whole back bumper had disappeared by the time I got home, the force must have left it on the motorway.

"It was something like out of a disaster film, like the Day After Tomorrow or something" - a driver whose car was damaged

“The front is severely damaged too and the insurance people are sending someone round to assess it but I’ve been told because of its age, it may have to be written off.”

Another affected motorist was Jay Collings who posted comments on KentOnline.

He said: “What I want to know is who’s going to clean raw sewage off of my car and all inside my engine bay?

“I don’t mind doing the outside but inside the bay I’m not happy doing and my car is a show car and it’s everywhere under the bonnet.”

Police said they received a number of calls about the incident from other travellers saying a car had been carried away by the surge.

A spokesman added: “We were called at 4.48pm to a spillage between junctions 2 and 3 on the M2.

“Officers aided partner agencies in managing traffic.”

Highways England and Environment Agency officials organised the clean up operation and the London-bound carriageway reopened after about an hour but two lanes remained closed coast-bound until about 8.40pm.

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