HAMPSHIRE roads and motorways faced the usual gridlocking as the long Easter weekend got under way.

Thousands of cars, many towing caravans, brought major routes including the M27 heading to Bournemouth to a virtual standstill.

Busiest times included Thursday evening when traffic was considerably heavier than normal as people tried to make an early break.

Friday saw jams and miles of tailbacks as people headed to the coast and camping sites in the New Forest.

A Hampshire police spokesman said: "Friday was much worse. The motorways were virtually gridlocked from about 10am and didn't start easing until after 2pm. There were no major incidents or breakdowns. It was simply down to the sheer volume of traffic."

It was particularly heavy on the M3 from London and along the west bound section of the M27 leading into the New Forest where there was at one stage a three-mile-plus tail back.

Holidaymakers in caravans were subject to spot checks on the M27 at the start of the Easter break. Dozens of vehicles towing caravans were escorted off the motorway to the checkpoint at Rownhams Services near Southampton where police officers and the Vehicle Inspectorate examined their roadworthiness.

Train travellers between Southampton and Waterloo suffered serious disruption from major engineering work on the track near Basingstoke from Good Friday to Easter Monday.

Buses replaced services between Basingstoke and Winchester/Andover, with services from Waterloo to Weymouth being diverted between Woking and Southampton via Guildford and Havant.

The AA has warned people to stagger journeys home on Monday to avoid the worst of the hold ups on the roads.