Overturned lorry causes chaos

An articulated lorry carrying scrap metal shed its load after overturning on a busy dual carriageway in the Black Country.

The driver suffered minor injuries after the vehicle end up on its side near the Cinder Bank island off Dudley Southern Bypass.

Tons of metal spilled on to the road as well as 20 litres of diesel from the lorry's fuel tank.

Click on the image on the right to see more pictures from the scene

Firefighters used nearby soil to soak up the diesel and disconnected the battery from the vehicle.

Police cordoned off one lane of the road following the accident at 2.55pm yesterday causing tailbacks towards Flood Street island and Stourbridge Road in the other direction.

The driver, a man in his 30s, suffered minor leg injuries and shock. Paramedics treated him at the scene and he was taken to Russells Hall Hospital for further assessment.

West Midland Ambulance spokeswoman Suzie Fothergill said: "On arrival at the scene crews found a lorry that had overturned.

"The driver of the lorry had managed to remove himself from the cab and was found outside of the vehicle.

"The driver, a man believed to be in his 30's, was treated on scene for a leg injury. The man was fully immobilised before being conveyed to Russell Hall Hospital for further assessment and treatment."

Resident Ian Flower, aged 46, of Highbridge Road, called for pedestrian crossings to be installed on Cinder Bank after a spate of crashes there but Dudley Council said there was "too much street furniture" at the site.

He said: "The island is very dangerous as their lanes are quite confusing and drivers often cut each other up. Something needs to be done there.

"I didn't see the crash itself but I saw all the traffic stretching back along Cinder Bank and it caused some real problems at a really busy time."