A VAN fire caused traffic tailbacks around the area on Friday evening after emergency services were forced to close a road.

The fire took hold of the Nissan Cargo van in Upper Bray Road, Maidenhead, which leads into Bray village.

Police closed access to the Upper Bray Road from the A308 Windsor Road during rush hour, which caused 40 minute tailbacks back towards Windsor Racecourse and the Windsor roundabout.

Maidenhead firefighters said they were called at around 3.45pm to the fire, believed to be have been sparked electronically inside the vehicle, and it took around 30 minutes to bring under control. Police kept the road closed while recovery services arrived to take the van away.

The incident is not being linked to a police investigation currently ongoing in Maidenhead at a block of flats at the junction of Bridge Road and Oldfield Road. Officers had taped off the area on Friday morning and enquiries are ongoing.