A stretch of the A11 was closed for almost 11 hours on Wednesday after a lorry came off the road and became stranded in a ditch.

Eastern Daily Press: The lorry is recovered which overturned near Roudham closing the A11 northbound all day. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe lorry is recovered which overturned near Roudham closing the A11 northbound all day. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2016)

There were delays on the Norwich-bound side from about 7.20am after the lorry crashed into a ditch and turned onto its side.

Police, fire and the ambulance service were called as the driver was unable to get out of the lorry.

A six-mile stretch of the road was closed, from the junction with the A1075 at Thetford to the B1111 at Larling.

A diversion was put in place along the A1075, with traffic becoming heavy on this route into the afternoon rush hour.

Car-carrying lorries and other HGVs lined up along the A11 just past the A1075 junction, waiting for the road to reopen.

It was several hours before a recovery vehicle was able to lift the lorry out of the ditch around four miles east of Thetford.

A spokesman for Norfolk Police said the recovery had proved difficult. Officers aimed to have the road re-opened in time for the afternoon rush hour – a target they missed.

The lorry was eventually recovered from the ditch at about 5pm and towed away, with the road reopening by 6pm and traffic clearing quickly.