Motorists using the M4 today are being warned that two lanes have been blocked after a lorry shed its load of pilau rice.
The two lanes are closed on the westbound side of the motorway between junction 16, for Swindon and junction 17, for Chippenham.
It seems the accident, which happened in the early hours of this morning, could cause major problems for motorists all day.
Highways England tweeted: “Unfortunately the shed load of rice on the #M4 between J16 #Swindon and J17 #Chippenham has caused damage to the road surface and the affected area is going to need resurfacing before it is safe to allow traffic to pass over the area again.
It added: “The lane 1 and 2 closure is likely to remain in place throughout the day. We expect to see some severe congestion and delays resulting from this so please bear this in mind when planning your journeys through the day and consider alternative routes.”
Drivers stuck in traffic jams caused by the incident may struggle to see the funny side of it but Wiltshire police officers allowed themselves a smile.
They couldn't resist making a light-hearted comment while warning people about the lanes closure.
A tweet from their specialist operations account said: “M4 westbound 2 lanes closed prior to junction 17 after a lorry lost 5 pallets of pilau rice and spread across the carriageway. May take time to clear. Smells nice. Thanks @HighwaysSWEST for the assist.”
