An overnight closure will be in place on the M5 tonight as teams work to repair the damage caused by a lorry fire early this morning. 

A complex recovery operation will also be carried out to remove the lorry, which has remained in place throughout this afternoon, causing one lane to remain closed between J5 A38 (Droitwich / Wychbold) and J6 A4538 Pershore Lane (Worcester). 

The motorway will be shut between junction five and six southbound from 7pm this evening until 5am tomorrow morning while the work is carried out. 

Motorists experienced huge delays as emergency services responded to a lorry that had caught fire while carrying 28 tonnes of bitumen shortly before 5am this morning. 

All four lanes were closed as crews worked to get the fire under control, initially causing nine-mile tailbacks.

A further crash between a car and a HGV on the same stretch of the M5 also caused further hold-ups, with crews from the Hereford and Worcester fire service having to extract a driver from their car.

Traffic is currently flowing as normal despite the remaining lane closure.