Three cars crashed on the A127 causing long tailbacks.

The vehicles collided near the Basildon sign at the Pipps Hill turnoff and emergency services were called to the scene.

Firefighters had to cut a man, believed to be in his fifties, out of one of the cars which crashed near to the Basildon sign.

Crews from Basildon were called at 4.25pm and had freed the man by 5.20pm. He was not thought to be seriously injured.

Queues were back to the M25 and it took drivers up to an hour to get through.

Full story in tomorrow's Echo.