BANK Holiday motorists coming home from the coast faced extra-long queues after an articulated lorry carrying frozen chips toppled into a ditch off a roundabout on the A64.

The lorry, which was carrying 20 tonnes of McCain's frozen chips, was travelling west on the A64 when it left the road at the Hopgrove roundabout at about 10.30am and tipped into a ditch.

The driver, who works for a Scarborough-based haulage firm, escaped with minor cuts and bruises, but was taken to York Hospital as a precaution.

A potential 300-litre diesel spillage from the vehicle was quickly stemmed by firefighters from York, and Environment Agency officers called in to assess water in a nearby beck for contamination.

Traffic was forced to queue along the A64, A1237 and A1036 Malton Road throughout the day while recovery experts were brought in to assess the situation.

It took at least four hours to unload the lorry's cargo into two other wagons yesterday afternoon and evening, and motorists told the Evening Press of long delays throughout.

Due to the volume of traffic in the area, the lorry itself could not be moved until 6am today.

It is not known how the lorry ended up on its side, but police officers believe the load may have shifted, causing the vehicle to topple.

Sgt Mick Crome, of the Central Road Policing Unit, said: "No real speed was involved, and one lane was closed for safety."

Updated: 10:36 Tuesday, April 13, 2004