NEWTOWN was gridlocked on Tuesday morning after an HGV hit Nantoer Bridge, spilling its load on the A483 which hit an oncoming car.

The main road into Newtown was closed for three hours to allow the clean-up and recovery of vehicles to take place.

Adding to the mayhem were reports of another lorry getting stuck under the Dolfor Road Bridge in Newtown.

Although the incident was not as serious, it caused more misery for drivers who were using the road to get around the problems at Nantoer.

Powys County Councillor Joy Jones, who was at the scene just minutes after the incident, said: “I was on my way into town but turned back as I could see the queues.”

“This caused chaos in the town, and emergency service would have had to go all the way around Newtown while the road was closed.”

Cllr Jones added: “Good job Newtown is getting a bypass as we should have less incidents with lorries getting stuck under the bridges.”

A commuter driving in to Newtown, told The County Times: “Watched a lorry hit the Nantoer bridge on my way in to work, would have died if I had been 20 seconds earlier.”

A spokesperson, for Dyfed Powys police, said: “We received a report of a lorry hitting Nantoer Bridge in Newtown at approximately 9.50am on Tuesday, September 5.

“The lorry’s load fell on to a moving car and blocked the road.

“No-one was injured, the road re-opened at 12.50pm,” added the spokesperson.