Motorists are facing severe delays on the M25 after police were forced to close the Dartford Crossing in both directions due to a security alert.

Police have advised drivers to find alternative routes while they investigate a suspicious package found on the motorway.

Officers were called to the crossing at 4pm to a report of a male pedestrian behaving unusually, Kent Police said. He is now under arrest.

Kent Police said the crossing remained closed tonight and confirmed bomb disposal teams were at the scene.

A white van belonging to the Royal Logistics Corps bomb disposal unit has been pictured at the scene at the Dartford Crossing.

It is understood a robotic device is being used to examine a suspicious package which is either on a coach or close to a coach parked just yards away from the toll booths on the Dartford side of the crossing.



The Kent 999 services have just Tweeted to say that the 'Bomb Disposal team preparing to send remote-controlled robot to investigate suspicious item, believed to be on a coach.'

ONE witness told tonight (FRI) how he thought the arrested man was waving around a 'gun' during the security alert on the M25.

Van driver Paul Auty, 39, said: 'This man was wandering around between the lines of traffic waiting to go through the toll booths, and he was waving his arms around and shouting.

'It looked to like he had something in his hand, I thought it was a gun, but I couldn't be sure because he was about 50 metres away from me.



'But he was definitely pointing it like he was holding a gun. A few other people stuck in the traffic with me thought the same as me because we got chatting during the long delay.