All three lanes of the northbound M6 near Spaghetti Junction were open in time for the Monday tea-time rush hour after a morning collision left the motorway blocked.

Thousands of motorists were caught up in traffic chaos after a four-vehicle smash caused major delays on the motorway, causing congestion right into the centre of Birmingham..

The accident, involving two HGVs and two cars left the northbound carriageway closed between junction six, Spaghetti Junction, and junction seven at Great Barr just before 7am.

Three lanes were closed due to a fuel spillage, with tailbacks stretching from junction six to junction 4A at the M42.

Drivers leaving Birmingham on the Aston Expressway were unable to join the M6 and those caught up in the smash were filtered off the motorway by the hard shoulder as emergency services attempted to clear the spillage of diesel.

Nobody was seriously hurt in the incident.

One lane had reopened by 11am, but the two others remained shut until 4pm as workers battled to complete the clean-up operation.

The Highways Agency said drivers also faced delays on the M6 northbound between junction 5 Castle Bromwich and junction 7 Great Barr.

There were also southbound delays between junction 12 at Cannock and junction 6 of the M6.