CARS were forced to drive the wrong way down the A127 after fallen power cables blocked the road - causing chaos for drivers.

Drivers faced huge delays, with some sitting in more than two and a half hours of traffic after the road was blocked between the Halfway House roundabout and the Dalton junction.

Queues backed up all the way to the M25 at junction 29.

Drivers were left in shock as they watched cars turn around in the middle of the carriageway and drive the wrong way down the road in a bid to ditch the traffic.

Police then led other cars who waited down the A127 and onto the slip road of the A128.

Basildon resident, James Lynn, 34, was stuck in the traffic for around two and a half hours.

James said: “I only went out for 10 to 15 minutes up towards the M25. I came back around and I could see the traffic in front of me building up.

“It must have only just happened.

“I was stuck for just over two and a half hours.

“People started to turn around and drive the wrong way up the carriageway.

“A couple of us held back and police were telling people to stop driving the wrong way.

“They got shouted at by a few people.

“After two hours they then decided to guide as and lead us down the wrong way up the slip road between the Brentwood and Dunton junction.

“It was really hot. It wasn’t nice. People were getting out of their cars.

“There was a little boy walking about the carriageway. He was only about 7. He was just walking his dog up and down. It’s something you don’t see every day.”

Read more: 'Avoid the area': Police shut road in Westcliff after crash near busy junction

Deputy mayor of Basildon council, Luke Mackenzie warned people who drove the wrong way without police guidance may have risked their licence.

He said: “I’m glad the police attended and got the traffic moving again and managed to get people out of the road.

“It can be very inconvenient but when we’re talking about power cables there’s a lot of safety measures that have to be taken into account.

“I would say to people who drove the wrong way without being led by the police that they risked their driving licence for sake of a couple of hours. It’s not worth the risk.”