Hay lorry fire on motorway

Mrs Brown’s Boys creator Brendan O’Carroll has said nearly 40,000 fans applied for the 400 tickets available to see a one-off live episode to be broadcast on BBC One for the first time ever on Saturday.

O’Carroll, who is the show’s star said: “We’re very lucky – it’s great fun for us to do.” An articulated lorry carrying baled hay went up in flames on a motorway, causing seven-mile tailbacks.

Emergency teams were called to the blaze on the Londonbound M2 in Kent at 10.15am yesterday.

Footage by passersby showed the HGV engulfed in flames on the hard shoulder.