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| M3 Winchester closed: Thousands of drivers hit by delays | M3 Winchester closed: Thousands of drivers hit by delays |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The M3 motorway has reopened hours being closed because of "potential hazardous material" on the road. | |
| Thousands of motorists were caught in long queues on the motorway and surrounding roads. | |
| Police said a bomb disposal team had been at the scene of the closure between junctions nine and 11 at Winchester. | Police said a bomb disposal team had been at the scene of the closure between junctions nine and 11 at Winchester. |
| The motorway was closed in both directions from about 04:00 BST, but fully reopened at about 15:30. | The motorway was closed in both directions from about 04:00 BST, but fully reopened at about 15:30. |
| Hampshire Constabulary said officers were working with fire crews and the Ministry of Defence's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team to establish what the material on the road was. | |
| It has not yet given any further details. | |
| Motorists trapped by the initial motorway closure were able to leave the M3 by 07:00 BST, said Highways England. | Motorists trapped by the initial motorway closure were able to leave the M3 by 07:00 BST, said Highways England. |
| At midday, queues on the M3 eastbound were three miles long and westbound they were two miles long as drivers waited to leave the motorway, it said. | At midday, queues on the M3 eastbound were three miles long and westbound they were two miles long as drivers waited to leave the motorway, it said. |
| It tweeted to warn football fans travelling to the Southampton match against Manchester United of the "heavy traffic". | It tweeted to warn football fans travelling to the Southampton match against Manchester United of the "heavy traffic". |
| United fan Paul Hibbert was travelling to the match with friends, but decided to leave the coach and make the one-and-a-half-mile final leg of journey to Winchester station by foot, walking along the hard shoulder to junction nine. | United fan Paul Hibbert was travelling to the match with friends, but decided to leave the coach and make the one-and-a-half-mile final leg of journey to Winchester station by foot, walking along the hard shoulder to junction nine. |
| The 53-year-old, from Manchester, described it as "chaos" and said: "We are walking up the hard shoulder, people here are driving up the hard shoulder." | The 53-year-old, from Manchester, described it as "chaos" and said: "We are walking up the hard shoulder, people here are driving up the hard shoulder." |
| Hampshire County Council's travel information provider Romanse said Winchester city centre and all routes in were gridlocked at lunchtime on Saturday. | Hampshire County Council's travel information provider Romanse said Winchester city centre and all routes in were gridlocked at lunchtime on Saturday. |
| Cyclist Simon Read said he had to abandon his bike ride. | Cyclist Simon Read said he had to abandon his bike ride. |
| "I got to a bridge down a little track, and there was a policeman who told me I couldn't go that way. | "I got to a bridge down a little track, and there was a policeman who told me I couldn't go that way. |
| "As I went back down the track I could see there was a lot of police and emergency services personnel and then I saw the bomb disposal unit, with what looked like a robot at the back of it." | "As I went back down the track I could see there was a lot of police and emergency services personnel and then I saw the bomb disposal unit, with what looked like a robot at the back of it." |
| BBC reporter Toby Wadey at the scene | BBC reporter Toby Wadey at the scene |
| It's absolute chaos on the roads. Motorists are switching off their engines and getting out of their cars. | It's absolute chaos on the roads. Motorists are switching off their engines and getting out of their cars. |
| It took me three hours to travel 10 miles. I've since abandoned a trip from Basingstoke to Bournemouth. | It took me three hours to travel 10 miles. I've since abandoned a trip from Basingstoke to Bournemouth. |
| We were diverted off the M3 at the Winnall roundabout. | We were diverted off the M3 at the Winnall roundabout. |
| It took more than an hour just to get round the roundabout with people switching lanes and stopping in yellow junction boxes. | It took more than an hour just to get round the roundabout with people switching lanes and stopping in yellow junction boxes. |
| When I returned to an empty M3 northbound, the scene on the other side of the carriageway consisted of miles of queues, with thousands of motorists stranded. | When I returned to an empty M3 northbound, the scene on the other side of the carriageway consisted of miles of queues, with thousands of motorists stranded. |
| Motorists took to social media to express their frustration. | Motorists took to social media to express their frustration. |
| @neeshy_ tweeted: "Part of the M3 is closed. I'm going to be late. And I've just spilled hot coffee on myself. Shaping up to be a brilliant day" | @neeshy_ tweeted: "Part of the M3 is closed. I'm going to be late. And I've just spilled hot coffee on myself. Shaping up to be a brilliant day" |
| Jim Hall said: "Stuck at Winchester Services M3 South, if the roads been closed since 4am why did they let us on if no way of getting off." | Jim Hall said: "Stuck at Winchester Services M3 South, if the roads been closed since 4am why did they let us on if no way of getting off." |
| Other have shared pictures of the scene, including one showing a man walking his dog on the hard shoulder and another showing a handstand on the carriageway. | Other have shared pictures of the scene, including one showing a man walking his dog on the hard shoulder and another showing a handstand on the carriageway. |
| George Vitelis, who was stranded at Winchester service station, said: "It's quite a strange situation - there are babies having their diapers changed next to the M3, guys playing golf, people having picnics. | |
| "The sun is shining, the weather is warm, I'm quite happy here to be honest." | "The sun is shining, the weather is warm, I'm quite happy here to be honest." |