A woman remains in hospital following a serious accident and vehicle fire which closed a motorway.

Heavy traffic was queuing along the M2 coastbound following the incident at 4.12pm on Wednesday (April 16).

The road was shut between Junction 1 for A2 Strood and Junction 3 for the Blue Bell Hill Interchange, but two lanes reopened later this evening at 7pm.

Three cars were involved in the crash, with fire crews having to cut the roof off one vehicle.

It left three people requiring the care of paramedics and one woman was taken to hospital via air ambulance.

Motorists reported stationary traffic with delays of more than an hour.

One driver told KentOnline there was a large emergency service presence with several police, ambulance and fire vehicles heading to the crash.

KCC Highways told drivers to expect delays, with coastbound traffic being diverted off the M2 at J2.

The diversion route through the Medway Tunnel became heavily congested, with emergency service vehicles pictured stuck in the queues.

A police spokesman said: “We were called at 4.12pm on April 16, following a collision involving two cars on the coastbound M2, between junctions 2 and 3.

“Officers are at the scene, along with fire and ambulance crews and a woman has been taken to hospital. The coastbound carriageway is currently closed.”

A fire service spokesperson added: “Two fire engines attended and crews, wearing breathing apparatus, used hose reel jets and foam to extinguish the flames.”

It is understood that the woman remains in hospital as of this morning (April 17).