An exploding crane and a tunnel closure have caused chaos on two major motorways, leaving motorists stuck in traffic for up to five hours.

About 35 firefighters were called to tackle a blaze on the London-bound carriageway of the M40 in Buckinghamshire, after the 96-tonne crane burst into flames on Wednesday night.

And in Kent, motorists approaching the Dartford Crossing queued for up to five hours after one of the two tunnels was closed overnight.

There were no reports of injuries from the crane fire but witnesses spoke of hearing a number of explosions.

The crane, near Gerrards Cross between junctions 2 and 1a, caught alight near a gantry after a large spillage of hydraulic fluid.

Police closed the southbound carriageway and one lane northbound, but the clearup is expected to last much of Thursday, and Highways England warned motorists heading to London to expect long delays.

A specialist lifting team has removed the crane from the motorway, but one lane remains closed heading towards the capital while debris is cleared.

A Highways England spokesman said: “The lane closure will remain in place all day for safety reasons due to serious damage on the road surface, which is planned to be resurfaced tonight. Road users are advised to plan ahead.”

In Kent, travellers reported being left trapped on gridlocked roads on their approach to the Dartford Crossing overnight.

Some took to social media to vent their frustrations:

And another driver, Marc Tuohey, wrote: “Highways England please do something with the Dartford tunnel. It’s long overdue and it isn’t like it doesn’t self-fund.”

The delays come after more than 11,000 people signed an online petition calling for a public inquiry into the crossing’s operation amid claims that improvement works have been botched.