A MAN was still being quizzed today after a major security breach closed the M25 Dartford Crossing for nearly eight hours.

The 27-year-old foreign national was arrested as thousands of drivers were left stranded last night when the QE2 bridge and both tunnels were shut.

The closure came after Kent Police officers found a suspicious item which led to huge tailbacks building up in both directions for more than ten miles as motorists tried to travel between Essex and Kent.

Police officers were called to the Dartford Crossing at about 4pm following reports a male pedestrian was acting “unusually”.

He was arrested but a major security operation was then launched to establish whether the “item” posed any threat. However, after Army bomb disposal teams investigated, they confirmed it was not dangerous and reopened all routes.

Stranded motorists got out of their cars to try and get a view of the security incident at the tolls.

Eyewitnesses reported a police helicopter circling overhead and bomb disposal units at the scene who sent in a robot to investigate the package.

A white coach, which is thought to have contained the suspicious item, was searched shortly after passing the tolls and was stopped in Dover.

The crossing, which is used by about 140,000 vehicles every day, was eventually reopened before midnight. 

Drivers were advised to avoid the area, with those travelling from Essex to Kent turned around and sent back.

The man remains in police custody.