TRAFFIC misery struck yesterday morning as major incidents in Poole and Bournemouth brought rush-hour commuters grinding to a halt.

In the heart of Poole, a large lorry broke down just yards from the lifting bridge, completely blocking the road and preventing any traffic from getting in and out of town.

Gridlock hit the Hamworthy area as traffic backed up for miles along Blandford Road and also back towards the town centre.

At the same time, a three-vehicle accident on the Bournemouth Spur Road, close to the Blackwater junction caused long delays for drivers heading out of town.

Drivers in Poole were told to turn around at the junction with Ashmore Avenue and head back up Blandford Road to get into Poole via Upton.

That led to huge queues in both directions, with drivers left angry at a lack of information. One commuter, who took more than an hour to get from Hamworthy to Poole, said: “It was frustrating to be stuck for so long when traffic could have been turned around further up Blandford Road.

“There was no mention of the problems on the matrix boards along the road either.”

The problems were exacerbated further by a huge crane leaving the Twin Sails bridge site off Rigler Road and the extra lorries brought in on Brittany Ferries’ morning |service.

The articulated lorry, which broke down just after 7.15am, was eventually moved by 9.45am, though the congestion took some time to ease.

The A338 Spur Road collision involved three cars and caused long tailbacks in the rush-hour traffic.

The incident happened at 8.10am at the Blackwater junction of the northbound carriageway and left one lane of the carriageway blocked.

Police and paramedics were called to the incident involving a Seat Leon, a Ford Fiesta and a Volkswagen Polo. No one was injured. The road was reopened at 9.46am.

In the Purbecks, a mobile home falling off the back of a lorry caused traffic hold ups between Corfe Castle and Swanage.

It blocked both lanes of the A351 Valley Road at Tabbit’s Hill Lane, near Wareham, causing tailbacks and delays to drivers from 1.25pm.

A passing tractor was used to help clear the obstruction.