M27: Firefighters rush to motorway in Hedge End following reports of "vehicle fire" which blocked lane

Crews were deployed shortly after 1pm this afternoon to the M27 eastbound between junctions 7 and 8 in Hedge End. Hampshire County Council Traffic and Travel said one lane was blocked and delays built up at the scene.

The traffic monitoring system said this was cleared a short while later, with vehicles moving freely. A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said this was a false alarm and not a severe blaze.

“Upon investigation, it was determined to be a false alarm caused by a blown turbo,” she said. “Firefighters made the scene safe before returning to their stations following the stop message at 1.23pm.”

A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary spokeswoman said the vehicle had overheated and was smoking, which caused the emergency services to be called.