Norwich City Under-18s' match at Millwall today was postponed after motorway chaos left the young Canaries stranded.The Under-18 game had to be called off when David Williams and his players were stuck in huge queues long past the noon kick-off after police closed the M11 in both directions when a vehicle carrying gas cylinders caught fire.

Norwich City Under-18s' match at Millwall today was postponed after motorway chaos left the young Canaries stranded.

The FA Premier Academy Under-18 game had to be called off when David Williams and his players were stuck in huge queues long past the scheduled noon kick-off after police closed the M11 in both directions when a vehicle carrying gas cylinders caught fire.

City fans travelling to the Championship match against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park were also caught up in the traffic and many were in danger of missing the big match.

Essex Police said the busy section of the M11 between London and Stansted Airport was not likely to reopen until tomorrow morning.

The potentially dangerous blaze occurred when a recovery van carrying oxyacetylene cylinders was sent to a broken-down lorry near Junction 6 of the motorway just after 5.30am.

The recovery van caught fire and firefighters ordered that the road should be closed between Junctions 6 and 7 in both directions.

An Essex Police spokeswoman said: "The fire brigade have advised that the cylinders will have to be cooled for 24 hours before they can be safely removed. Highways Agency will also have to check the condition of the road surface following the fire.”

Travellers heading for Stansted Airport to catch a flight were hit by severe delays because of the motorway closure.

The Stansted Express train from London to the airport is not running this weekend because of track replacement work.

Passengers had been advised to allow an extra hour for their journey from Liverpool Street station to Stansted on a replacement coach service.

But because of the M11 closure the coaches could not run and customers were instead being advised to travel by train to Harlow Town, from where a bus would take them to the airport.