Motorists travelling between Hereford and Leominster will welcome the news this morning that the A49 has reopened following an incident involving an overturned lorry on Dinmore Hill yesterday.

Early yesterday morning, a lorry carry over 5,500 chickens overturned on the southbound side of the road. Sadly, a number of chickens were killed in the crash but the driver of the vehicle is said to be fine.

Emergency services including West Mercia Police attended the incident and the road surface had to be resurfaced in places following a fuel spillage.

Highways England announced yesterday afternoon that the road was likely to remain closed until the early hours of this morning and their website currently says that the A49 is flowing freely with no issues to report.

A spokesperson for West Mercia Police told Your Herefordshire yesterday:

“At around 9.35am today (1 July), we were called to reports of a road traffic incident on the A49 between Hereford and Leominster involving an artic lorry carrying 5580 chickens. No-one was injured in the incident, however the road has been closed due to an oil spillage and diversions are in place. A vet was called to attend to the needs of the chickens.”