A DUSTCART was at the centre of a crash which brought rush-hour chaos to the M27 at Southampton today.

Emergency services raced to the westbound carriageway at Chilworth after the green and black recycling truck collided with a bridge support before coming to rest near the central reservation.

Police said two people were trapped inside the lorry, which also collided with a lamp-post in the drama near junction four at the M3 interchange.

Major tailbacks built up along the M27 in both directions immediately after the crash, which happened in the outside lane just before 7.40am.

Hampshire police spokeswoman Jane Kennedy Scott said: "It appears the dustcart struck the central pillar of a motorway bridge and came to a standstill close to the central reservation.

"This has affected traffic flow in the outside lanes of both the westbound and eastbound carriageways."

Firefighters battled to free two people trapped inside the cab of the refuse disposal lorry.

It was believed one had been released within half an hour but crews had more difficulty rescuing the second victim as the Daily Echo went to press. Neither was understood to have suffered life-threatening injuries.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.