Kent motorists were faced with their worst nightmare when an historic steam traction engine broke down and blocked a main road for nearly five hours.

The veteran vehicle, appropriately called Nightmare, had been on its way from Essex to the Tinkers Park traction engine rally at Hadlow Down, Sussex, when it lost a rear wheel on the B245 Tonbridge Road as it steamed through Hildenborough today.

It led to long delays for frustrated drivers heading towards Tonbridge from Sevenoaks as passing the obstruction proved difficult. Two recovery trucks had to be used to recover the vehicle.

It was finally winched onto a low-loader from Mick Gould Commercials along with its giant rear wheels.

Motorists said on social media they had seen it earlier in the day heading from Essex and travelling through South Darenth with a trailer in tow.

Nightmare, which is painted black, was made by the Fowler company in 1913.

Some of the chaos of the breakdown was captured by Jackie Nixon of Tonbridge who posted photographs on the Tonbridge Community Hub Facebook page which showed coal and water spilling onto the road.

She said: "I got stuck in the traffic coming back from Weald and then again heading the other way on the bus going back to pick up my son's car."

She managed to film the traction engine being given a lift on the low-loader on the A26.

The Tinkers Park traction engine rally, which is a popular date in the diaries of steam engine owners and model railway enthusiasts, is being held next weekend - June 5 and 6 - in aid of Cancer Research UK.

Because traction engines have such a low top speed owners who opt to drive them to venues have to leave days in advance to reach events on time. They often sleep in living quarters towed behind.

Police were called at 4.25pm to a vehicle was blocking one side of the Tonbridge Road, Hildenborough after a wheel had fallen off. A spokesman said: "Officers attended and Kent Highways were informed. The vehicle was later recovered by its owner and the road was clear shortly after 9pm."

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