A CARNIVAL day motorway crash meant motorists faced more traffic misery on roads around Wellington on Saturday morning (September 30) just as the town was gearing up for its annual parade.

It was the latest in a string of M5 motorway crashes in the past six weeks which have seen emergency services close the motorway past Wellington.

The early morning incident on the M5 saw the northbound carriageway closed between Tiverton’s junction 27 and junction 26 for Wellington.

Traffic was diverted to use the A38 via Perry Elm and Wellington Relief Road to Chelston and then back onto the motorway.

The crash involved a car towing a trailer carrying livestock which overturned near junction 27 at about 5 am.

Police and fire crews were called to the scene and helped round up the animals and transfer them to another trailer, and cleared a fuel spillage on the carriageway.

National Highways said a diversion had been put in place and motorists were being urged to plan their journeys amid the disruption and allow extra time or delay their travel.

It meant heavy motorway traffic on the A38 past Wellington at a time when carnival goers and entries were trying to reach the town in the lead up to Saturday evening’s procession, when several thousand people will line the town centre streets.

The crash site recovery operation was completed and the motorway reopened mid-morning, allowing Wellington roads to return to normal.

There were no reports of any injuries to people or animals.