FIREFIGHTERS spent two hours tackling a lorry fire this afternoon.

The Volvo removal lorry set alight on the southbound lane of the A34 near Whitchurch at 2pm, resulting in the road being closed while a crew from Basingstoke dealt with the incident.

Three fire engines, two land rovers and a water carrier attended the scene, extinguishing the lorry blaze as well as a field of hay, where the flames had spread.

Dr Steven Langston, of Evingar Road, Whitchurch, took these pictures of the scene. The 56-year-old was at home when he saw smoke and went to investigate. The father-of-two said: “It was quite dramatic. There were flames coming out of the back of the vehicle. The driver, rather than abandon it on the motorway, he drove it to the next lay-by and managed to get out before it blew up. There were two explosions.”

He added: “The vehicle was completely engulfed in flames. The vehicle was completely destroyed within a matter of minutes. Thick black smoke could be seen from the centre of Whitchurch.”

No one was injured in the incident.