Commuters travelling between Norwich and Beccles endured long delays after an eleven-vehicle crash closed part of the A146 this morning.

The Norwich Road between Thurton and Loddon was closed for about three hours because of an accident which happened shortly after 7.30am.

Witnesses at the scene suggested the accident was caused by a slippery road and the rising morning sun, blinding drivers heading eastwards towards Lowestoft.

A Norfolk Constabulary spokesman said there were four separate collisions, involving 11 vehicles, with two people suffering minor injuries. Police believe the crashes were caused by a contaminated road surface, with a two-mile spillage of a liquid believed to be oil.

An officer on the scene at 9am said: 'There were no serious injuries. The first accident involved seven cars and, while that was being dealt with, there was a subsequent accident involving other vehicles.'

The road was closed between the Ferry Road junction, south of Thurton, and the Chedgrave turn-off, north of Loddon causing long delays and tailbacks. It was re-opened shortly after 10.30am.

At 9am, one of the motorists caught on the Norwich side of the closures said there were three-mile tailbacks towards Framingham Pigot. He said: 'What caused it (the accident) was a wet road and the blinding rising sun.'

By 10am, vehicles were being escorted through the Norwich-bound lane, which was helping to ease congestion, but the Lowestoft-bound lane remained closed while awaiting highways officers to clear the spillage from the road.

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said a rapid response vehicle attended the scene, and one man was treated for cuts and bruises.

He said: 'The man is believed to be in his 40s and was shaken by the incident. He received treatment at the roadside and was not conveyed to hospital.'

Earlier, a separate accident partially closed the A47 at Acle. Police said a two-vehicle crash had left the Acle Straight partially blocked, with traffic queuing in both directions between the Acle roundabout and Yarmouth.

No-one was injured and the accident has since been cleared.

-Were you involved in this morning's accident at Thurton? Contact reporter Chris Hill on 01603 693892 or chris.hill@archant.co.uk.