HUNDREDS of motorists are trapped on a major road this evening after an escaped horse caused chaos.

The gridlock on the A31 has meant some motorists have been trapped on the road for up to two hours.

A separate crash involving a motorcycle only compounded the problem, with traffic tailing back as far as junction one of the M27.

At least a dozen emergency vehicles have been seen heading the scene near Poulner Hill.

Police officers have been seen searching the undergrowth along the road as fed-up motorists get out of their cars whilst stuck in the gridlock.

The incident is causing huge delays for motorists heading from Southampton on to Bournemouth, who are being advised to find another route home.

One motorist caught in the jam said: "After sitting still for about 30 minutes we started to move slowly past a single lane where several officers with torches were searching for the horse.

"But the traffic stopped again and a police car drove through the middle of the two lanes to an incident a bit further on."

The incident is causing chaos across the New Forest with huge tailbacks getting into Lyndhurst at Emery Down, as well.