Pedestrian bridge collapses on M20 as bank holiday rush gets underway

One person has been injured after a pedestrian footbridge collapsed on the M20 in Kent. The incident on Saturday, 27 August, took place on one of the busiest days of the year as the bank holiday getaway began.

The footbridge buckled onto a lorry between junctions three and four, forcing its closure in both directions. "It is believed a lorry collided with a pedestrian bridge which has collapsed onto the carriageway below," a spokeswoman for Kent police said.

"No people are believed to be trapped in the debris. However, one person is believed to have suffered injuries, not reported to be life-threatening at this time," she added. The wounded motorcyclist was taken to Tunbridge Wells Hospital.

Traffic has been brought to a standstill as emergency services attended the scene. Motorists were "strongly urged to plan ahead and use alternative routes" by Highways England.

Kent Police said it is treating it as a "major incident" and confirmed that officers were at the scene, along with Kent Fire and Rescue Service and South East Coast Ambulance Service.

Images showed the top of the lorry had been sheared off as drivers looked as they stood by their vehicles.

"Emergency services are at the scene. From what I can tell they are treating one person," driver Kalpana Fitzpatrick told Sky News.

"There are quite a lot of people just walking around the motorway not knowing what is going on," she added. "The side I'm on, the bridge is still hanging, and obviously the traffic has been stopped. It's quite shocking."

Officers were alerted to the incident on the London-bound carriageway at 12.07pm BST, Kent Police said.