Owner saves drivers' bacon after pigs invade A21 again

Escaped pigs have closed a major main road for the second time in four days.

The porcine trespassers got on to the A21 Sevenoaks Road, causing the London-bound carriageway to be closed for around four hours at lunchtime.

It came after between 30 and 40 of the kunekune pigs, a breed native to New Zealand, strayed on to the same stretch of road on December 30, the RSPCA said.

The road connects the M25 with Orpington in the London borough of Bromley, and Transport for London warned drivers of "pigs in the carriageway", with warnings appearing shortly after 11am of the road being closed between Hewitts Roundabout and the village of Pratt's Bottom. It reopened around 3.30pm.

The RSPCA said it was working with the owner, trading standards, police and highways officials to prevent the pigs from escaping again.

Inspector Nick Wheelhouse said: "The owner had managed to round up a majority of them, shepherding them up the hill and back into the fields.

"We worked with Transport for London staff to stop the pigs from getting back on to the road.

"The owner was there and has been building secure enclosures to keep the pigs contained and away from the road but something obviously went wrong.

"Pigs are incredibly intelligent animals and they have worked out a way to get through the fence so they can get on to a nearby verge to forage. Fortunately no pigs or motorists were injured."