Bank Holiday getaway: Delays after vehicle breaks down on Dartford Crossing as motorists face queues on M25, M5 and M4

Motorists hoping to get away for the sunny Bank Holiday are facing delays on the M25, M5 and M4.

Nearly five million drivers were expected to hit the roads on Friday ahead of scorching temperatures this weekend, according to figures from the RAC.

But those aiming to escape London for the weekend faced delays on roads due to collisions and broken down vehicles.

Road traffic experts had warned of congestion on popular traffic hotspots, such as the M25 between Gatwick Airport and the M1, between 4pm and 7pm this evening.

And there were hold-ups for many as commuters and tourists combined on roads.

Traffic was halted on the Dartford crossing southbound at around 6pm after a lorry spun a car and blocked lanes, KentOnline reports.

The broken down vehicle was removed quickly and all lanes were opened.

But the northbound west tunnel was closed shortly before 8pm due to a broken down vehicle and recovery work, Highways England tweeted.

The tunnel has now reopened, but drivers are urged to approach with care as delays of up to 15 minutes are expected.

There are also delays on the M5 after a multiple vehicle collision northbound near to Worcester at around 6.20pm, Highways England said.

Traffic has been released after the incident, but motorists are warned to expect delays of up to 20 minutes as emergency services are still working at the scene.

There were also long delays on the M5 southbound near to Weston Super Mare earlier on Friday, with drivers urged to allow plenty of extra time for their journeys.

Meanwhile there were reports of long delays on the M4 in Wiltshire, and queues on the same motorway near Cardiff, according to SomersetLive.

It comes as forecasters have predicted London may reach highs of 29C this weekend, with the mercury rising into the mid-20s across the south and Wales.

The heat is on in Southampton which can expect 25-26C, Bristol may get 25C while it may reach 19C in Aberdeen and 18C in Newcastle.

RAC traffic spokesman Rod Dennis said: "With the UK’s constrained road space, and with road traffic at an all-time high, it doesn’t take much for congestion to occur so the message is to expect queues on some of the busiest routes, especially if the current weather forecasts become true.

"The fine weather a lot of us enjoyed over the last bank holiday sparked congestion on some parts of the network and this weekend is likely to be no different."

The RAC data was based on research of 2,500 motorists plans for the Bank Holiday.