DRIVERS faced long delays on the M62 near Huddersfield after a lorry blaze.

Fire crews had to close both carriageways at around 4.30pm yesterday after a fire ripped through the trailer of an articulated lorry on the westbound hard shoulder, near Junction 21 at Milnrow.

The lorry was carrying bottles and cans of cleaning chemicals and many exploded in the heat, as the flames engulfed the trailer and spread to the grass verge.

The westbound lanes were shut from 4.15pm and traffic jams stretched back five miles to Junction 23 at Outlane. One lane re-opened at 5.45pm.

Fire crews from Elland and Greater Manchester had to shut the entire eastbound carriageway to get firefighting equipment to the blazing lorry.

That carriageway re-opened at 5.20pm but again there were long tailbacks.

No-one was hurt.