Busy motorway closed following power fault

An electrical fault has forced the closure of a busy motorway.

The M5 is shut in both directions between Junction 22 at Burnham-on-Sea and Junction 23 at Bridgwater to allow National Grid to deal with the issue on an overhead line.

The nearby A38 has been allocated as the main diversion route.

While the exact location of the cable has not been confirmed, the M5 was also closed in June in the same area due to the risk of overhead electricity cables falling onto the road.

A National Grid Electricity Distribution spokesperson said engineers were carrying out an "urgent inspection" and had closed the road to allow the work to be carried out safely.

"Where possible, repairs will be completed at the same time. If further work is required, we will continue to work closely with National Highways to plan this safely," they added.

"We are sorry for the disruption caused and thank motorists for their patience."

Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.