Massive 'Marmite' mop-up closes M1

Police and Highways Agency staff begun clearing the stretch of motorway, between junctions 32 and 33, after a lorry transporting more than 20 tons of liquid yeast bound for the Marmite factory in Burton on Trent overturned.

The incident happened shortly after 10pm  last night  but the clean-up was continuing this morning.

Highways Agency officials said that the road would be re-opened at around 10am.

The Advertiser understands that the lorry had overturned after a collision involving a caravan.

Nobody was seriously injured in the incident.

A police spokeswoman said: “We were called at 10.15pm yesterday to reports of a tanker overturning.

“Some of the contents were spilled on the northbound carriageway and we are in the process of emptying the remaining contents of the tanker and clearing up the spillage before it can be moved and the road re-opened."