AN OVERTURNED lorry on the M4 caused travel misery for thousands of drivers throughout the day on Saturday.

The HGV, a McDonald's delivery vehicle, was travelling westbound between junction 16 and 17 at around 2am when it jack-knifed and left the carriageway. 

The lorry continued into a ditch that runs alongside the road and overturned. 

The driver was fortunate to escape without injury. 

Emergency services and highways personnel put lane closures in place from 8.30am, causing long delays throughout the morning and into the afternoon.

Many people travelling home after the Easter break waited in stationary traffic for over an hour.

A large crane was brought in to lift the lorry out of the ditch and back on to the carriageway, taking up two lanes and the hard shoulder. 

A spokesperson for Wiltshire Police said: "A closure was put in place at junction 16 while the vehicle was recovered.

"No vehicles were allowed on to the motorway travelling westbound, diversions were put in place to reroute traffic but there were delays on surrounding roads.

"Traffic that was already on the motorway, travelling from junction 15, was given the option to exit at junction 16 or to continue on but the road was down to 1 lane.

"The Highways Agency worked as fast as they could to get the road reopened."

One lane was reopened at around 1pm but traffic was already backed up a considerable distance, almost as far as junction 15. 

Highways England said it was taking many drivers up to an hour to get from junction 15 to the location of the incident. 

The removal of the lorry was safely completed shortly after 3pm, the Highways Agency thanked everyone for their patience.

Many drivers who had been caught up in the delays took to social media to vent their frustrations.

Luke Smith tweeted: "A McDonald's lorry has done an incredible job of parking itself in a bush on the side of the M4.

"Five miles past it and still solid traffic!"

Doug Shulman, a Cambridge United fan on the way to way to Newport to watch his team play, warned his fellow supporters to avoid the area.

He tweeted: "M4 J16-17 log-jammed. We are currently stationary. Any Cambridge Utd fans en route to Newport might want to divert!"