DRIVERS are being warned to plan ahead for their journeys after a lorry fire brings four miles of tailbacks to the M5.

The southbound carriageway was earlier closed between junctions 30 (Exeter) and 31 (Torquay, Bodmin/Okehampton) to allow police and the fire service to respond to the incident this morning.

A spokesman for National Highways said: “The incident occurred on the southbound carriageway just before 10am and with the fire service tending to the hay lorry fire, the carriageway is currently reduced to a single lane, with lane four running past the scene

“With emergency services still in attendance, and with the clear-up operation and vehicle recovery expected to be protracted, National Highways is advising drivers to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys and where possible, avoid the area and consider alternate routes.”

There are currently delays of upto an hour.

Up-to-date travel information is available from National Highways by visiting www.trafficengland.com and Twitter updates are also available at @HighwaysSWEST. For urgent real-time assistance, the company’s 24/7 contact centre team is able to provide up-to-the minute information on 0300 123 5000.