A5 at Chirk, Wrexham, is reopened after repairs

Two people were killed in the crash. Photo: Vic Cleveley

A major road has reopened following a crash in which two people died.

The A5 at Chirk, near Wrexham, on the Shropshire border was closed on Monday after the crash on a viaduct killed the drivers of a cattle lorry and a car.

The crash damaged the viaduct railings and the road remained shut while work was carried out.

A spokesman for Wrexham council confirmed that the road between the Gledrid Roundabout and Halton Roundabout was reopened at 0800 GMT.

The council had hoped it would be in use on Wednesday but heavy rain had prevented engineers putting safety markings on the road, it said.

The A5 is a main route from Holyhead to London and the closure has caused gridlock in Chirk as traffic was diverted through the town.

The crash involved a double decker Volvo livestock carrier, a Volvo tanker lorry and a silver Mercedes E200 estate car.

It is understood that during the incident, the cattle lorry overturned and crashed through the safety barrier, causing structural damage to the road viaduct at Afon Ceiriog.

Animals

The driver of the cattle lorry, a man in his 40s from south Wales, and the driver of the car were both killed.

Police said a number of the animals being transported had also died.

The driver of the tanker was treated for a minor head injury.

The crash has already led to calls for the road to be upgraded into a dual carriageway.

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