THE main road between Worcester and Hereford is likely to remain closed for several more hours, hitting evening rush-hour traffic.

A lorry overturned on theA4103 at Shucknall, a few miles west of Hereford just after midday, spilling its load of timber across the road.

A nearby tank filled with oil was struck in the collision and thousands of litres spilled from the container.

The lorry driver, who is believed to be 21 and from Worcestershire, suffered cuts and bruises. He was also treated for shock. No one else is thought to have been hurt.

The fire and ambulance services attended soon after the incident happened, liaising with Western Power to shut off overhead power lines.

The Environment Agency was also on hand to assess the potential problems associated with the spilled oil and help oversee the clean-up process.

The fire service - which dispatched its own specialist environmental protection unit to the scene - initially anticipated that the would be shut off for six hours. However, the road is expected to be closed for several more hours while the road is cleared of timber and oil.