A SPATE of accidents on the A383 Ashburton Road in the past week have been blamed on a collapsed gully that allowed water to pour on to the road and freeze.

Police closed the road between Seale-Hayne and Bickington after four incidents on Friday evening.

On Monday morning a car and then an articulated lorry both crashed after drivers lost control in the slippery conditions.

No one was thought to have been hurt in the mishaps although the busy commuter route was again blocked to through traffic during Monday's rush hour to allow the two stranded vehicles to be recovered.