A lorry driver could face prosecution after his vehicle went into a ditch and shed its load of straw bales.

PC Al Cuthbertson and Special PC Dave Thompson, from the Essex Police Commercial Vehicle Unit, attended the scene in Burnham Road, Burnham, just before 2.40pm yesterday.

The road was blocked while police, specialist recovery teams and local farmers cleared the road.

The police officers said they would like to thank Richard Diss and his team from Burnham-based Strutt and Parker Farms Ltd who helped clear the straw from the road.

Pc Al Cuthbertson said: “We really appreciated their help in clearing the scene.

“The road was blocked for around three and a half hours but if Richard and his team had not pitched in to help it could have been longer.”

The people who assisted were Richard Diss, Paul Ambrose, Jim Moss and David and Alan Joslin.

Richard Diss, from Strutt and Parker Farms, said: “We felt a duty to the community to help get the road open.”

Essex Police are investigating the incident.

A 41-year-old man from Newry in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, has been reported for careless driving.

The lorry was from a company based in Northern Ireland.