Thousands of motorists on the M25 in Surrey spent this afternoon stuck in tailbacks stretching for more than 10 miles.
A multi-vehicle collision shut the road anti-clockwise and left a man seriously injured in hospital, police said.
"The collision, involving a silver Vauxhall Astra, a black Renault Megane and an HGV, occurred around 2.15pm on the anti-clockwise carriageway between Junction 8 at Reigate and Junction 9 at Leatherhead," a Surrey Police spokeswoman said.
"The driver of the Astra was taken to St George's Hospital in Tooting with serious injuries. No one else was injured as a result of the collision; however, all three vehicles suffered substantial damage."
It meant traffic on the carriageway was grid-locked during rush hour, prompting some drivers to exit their cars and enjoy the hottest day of the year in the middle of a motorway.
Inder Panesar (@inderpanesar) tweeted a pictures of motorists and passengers sitting by the side of the road as their vehicles sat in stationary traffic.
<blockquote lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Socialising in the M25 , no idea when M25 accident will be cleared ...... <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?mid=9&id=222025&p=http://t.co/guYvGCWlCT" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-14861-http://t.co/guYvGCWlCT" data-vars-event-id="c23">pic.twitter.com/guYvGCWlCT</a>— Inder Panesar (@inderpanesar) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/inderpanesar/status/615908167231389697" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-14861-https://twitter.com/inderpanesar/status/615908167231389697" data-vars-event-id="c23">June 30, 2015</a>
He reported having travelled about half a mile in more than two hours.
Others also took to Twitter to vent their frustration.
<blockquote lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ok so avoid M25 full stop going anti-clockwise from 12-8 it's carnage— Michael Jarman (@MichaelMJarman) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MichaelMJarman/status/615922885241241600" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-14861-https://twitter.com/MichaelMJarman/status/615922885241241600" data-vars-event-id="c23">June 30, 2015</a>
<blockquote lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I really despise the M25. Moved precisely 1.8 miles in an hour— Rachel Ashford (@Rachel_Ashford) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/Rachel_Ashford/status/615923068674949120" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-14861-https://twitter.com/Rachel_Ashford/status/615923068674949120" data-vars-event-id="c23">June 30, 2015</a>
Highways England, which manages the M25, confirmed the road was closed between Junction 10 near Guildford and Junction 8 at Reigate.
