A CHEMICALS tanker overturned and brought the M25 from junction 22 to 21A in London Colney to a close for most of Saturday.

The articulated tanker, with a German number plate, was carrying plastic non-toxic chemicals when it hit the central crash barrier and skidded across the motorway and up the embankment on to its side, between junctions 22 and 21A., near the Savacentre in London Colney.

The driver, believed to be English, suffered no serious injuries, and no other vehicles were involved.

The accident closed the anti-clockwise carriageway from 8am to 6pm. Police are investigating the cause

Kartec Recovery of Greenhill Crescent in Watford, reovered the tanker. A spokesman said: 'The fuel tank had ruptured, which meant there was diesel, oil and glass all over the carriageway, and the tractor unit of the vehicle had become detached from the trailer.'

It resulted in the closure of motorway carrying traffic anti-clockwise between junctions 22 to 21A, until 6pm that evening.

Kartec Recovery of Greenhill Crescent in Watford, who were called out to recover the vehicle described it as a complex operation, which involved the use of three heavy recovery vehicles with five heavy wenches.

A spokesman from Kartec said: 'It was a mass operation.

The spokesman went on to say that it was fortunate that no other vehicles were involved in the accident, otherwise he said that it would have been, without a doubt, fatal.

Police are carrying out further investigations into the cause of the accident.