Hundreds of litres of diesel were spilt across a town centre road this morning causing traffic chaos as police, firefighters and council workers attempt to mop it up.

A lorry, said to be travelling from an abattoir, hit a bollard on the junction of Upper Green East and London Road in Mitcham town centre this morning.

Firefighters from Mitcham were on the scene shortly after 5am putting sand on some of the 350litres of diesel which has spilled onto the road after the accident which also punctured the lorry's wheel and left it immobile. 

Police officers are on the scene managing traffic flow around the area which is said to be heavily congested.

Firefighters washed the road, patched up the broken fuel tank and put down sand before the council arrived with more sand to put onto the diesel which was reported to be ‘flowing down the road.’

The incident happened at 5am this morning.