Thousands stranded for up to 12 hours as bomb scare shuts the M3
A BOMB scare left thousands of drivers stranded on the M3 yesterday, the second such incident to plague Britain’s motorways in less than a week.
Some cars were trapped for nearly 12 hours after ‘potential hazardous material’ was found by a footbridge between junctions 10 and 11 near Winchester at 4am.
A Royal Navy bomb disposal truck was later pictured at the scene, with Hampshire Police saying they were working with fire crews and the Ministry of Defence’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team to establish the nature of the material.
Bored motorists took to playing golf and walking their dogs on the motorway verge, while children used the carriageway as a playground, with one even performing handstands. Others ran out of patience altogether.
Jenna Keating, 31, a writer from Windsor, said: ‘People have got out of their cars to stretch their legs, but some are just turning round and going back down the hard shoulder.’
The M3 was eventually opened at 1.40pm northbound and 3.20pm southbound yesterday. Details of what was found are still unknown.
On Tuesday, the M1 was closed for ten hours after a ‘suspicious’ substance was found under a bridge near Milton Keynes. Police later said a five-litre container of acid had been poured across the road, possibly deliberately.