Chester FC's players and officials were snarled up in hours of traffic chaos on the journey home from Tuesday's match at Leyton Orient.

A serious accident on the M1 caused gridlock and meant the club's team bus did not arrive back at the Swansway Stadium until 8.16am today – meaning they had been on the road for about 10 hours. 

The Blues, who drew the match 2-2, left Orient's Matchroom Stadium, just north of Stratford in east London, at about 10.20pm but ran into difficulties just after junction 15a on the M1 northbound, close to Northampton services.

Emergency services had been called to attend a two-vehicle collision at about 11.50pm, which meant traffic was kept at a standstill for just under five hours. One male casualty was freed by the fire and rescue service, and taken to hospital.

The motorway was closed from junction 15a and not fully reopened until 9am.  

Blues goalkeeper Alex Lynch had a longer journey than many of his team-mates as he had to travel home to Holyhead after being dropped off in Chester.  

This morning he tweeted: "Just got home from Orient....we left at 22.30pm, it's now 9.40am."

Chester's community trust chief executive Jim Green was also among those delayed. The car he was travelling in was just ahead of the team bus. 

He left the Matchroom Stadium at 10.20pm and got home to Chester nine hours later.

"It was a weird feeling arriving home just as people were leaving to go to work," said Mr Green, who added that he hoped those involved in the accident were not seriously hurt.

The bus carrying Chester's supporeters had left the stadium earlier than the players' coach, meaning they had passed junction 15a before the crash happened.