TRAFFIC chaos came to Petersfield on Tuesday when a lorry damaged the gates at the level crossing in Station Road.

Police were called to the scene and began diverting traffic along other routes throughout the town.

But the traffic problem became a nightmare when a lorry got stuck at the bridge along Frenchman's Road which was being used as one of the diversion routes.

Queues began to build up and more police came to tackle the confusion in pouring rain.

Pc Mick Devaney from Petersfield police said the traffic was heavy but he was glad the scene was cleared before vehicles from schools hit the roads.

He said: "At about 1-20 pm a lorry clipped the level crossing gate on the town side. I don't know if the driver knew about it because he wasn't there by the time we arrived.

"The gate had come off its hinges and wouldn't raise. Every time they tried to lift the gate it would sway out into the road. We had to pull it down and shut the road.

"We set up diversions round Frenchman's Road, Bedford Road and along Swan Street."

But Pc Devaney added: "As soon as we began diverting the traffic another lorry got into problems at the bridge along Frenchman's Road.

"A lot of traffic was going that way and he could not fit his vehicle under the bridge. It's 3.2 metres high but that's not a lot when you actually get there.

"The main problem the driver had was that it seemed like everyone in the world and his dog were trying to get round that way.

"In the end we had police officers at Frenchman's Road, Swan Street and at Station Road directing traffic.

One motorist caught in the problems said: "I was driving through town and had planned to make my way to Bell Hill over the tracks.

"When I got to the top of Charles Street I noticed the left hand gate was lying on the ground.

"I decided to make my way round Frenchman's Road instead when I came across more traffic. A lorry had attempted to pass under the bridge but it looked as if it had got lodged."

He added: "People didn't know which way to go and some motorists had to sit in the queues and wait it out."

Pc Devaney said: "There was an awful lot of traffic around at the time and I suppose we were lucky that the problems were sorted before the bulk of traffic from schools was out. That would have made the problems a lot worse.

"I was very glad to get out of the rain once the roads were back open and the gates had been repaired."

Petersfield Police reopened Station Road at 3-30 pm.