THERE are long delays on the A31 eastbound this morning after a car fire at Poulner Hill near Picket Post.

Commuters face traffic chaos on A31 and A338

Motorists are faced with 'stop-start' traffic from Verwood as a result of the fire, reported earlier this morning.

One lane is blocked.

The incident was initially reported as a broken-down lorry.

However, a spokesperson from the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Firefighters were called out to a car on fire.

"Initially, this incident was believed to involve a lorry. However, the fire was in the engine compartment of a car."

She said the fire was small and quickly extinguished by firefighters.

One lane of the road was blocked as the stretch has no hard shoulder.

Motorists at Ashley Heath are likely to be trapped in queues for at least half an hour.