A severe travel warning has been issued as millions of drivers embark on journeys ahead of Christmas Day.
The RAC, which expects 7.9 million leisure journeys to be made across the UK on Friday and Christmas Eve combined, published the alert for a stretch of the M25. Congestion on the clockwise section between junction seven for the M23 and junction 16 for the M40 is expected to peak at 12.30pm on Friday, when delays of around 50 minutes are likely.
Huge queues are also expected on the M6 in the north west of England.