EARLY morning drivers were all at sea today when a giant ship's rudder was given a police escort for a journey across the region.

Police met the 125-tonne load at the Tees Offshore Base in Dockside Road, Middlesbrough at midnight on the first stage of its slow journey to a steel factory in Wolsingham.

The rudder - 23.5 metres long, 3.75 metres high and 8.5 metres wide - was transported at just 5mph into Works Road Bridge and on to the A66 before joining the A1M.

As the A66 is only 7.5 metres wide, the load blocked all west-bound traffic for several hours.

PC Leo Moran, abnormal loads officer for Cleveland police said: "We have had these loads before, but not this heavy.

"The previous one was 100 tonnes. It is not an easy task. It was transported on a trailer with 12 axles and each axle has eight wheels.

"There were problem points. Council workmen were with us dismantling road signs where necessary and there were a couple of places where it was a tight squeeze."

Near Teesside Park there is a weak spot under the road and the rudder had to be diverted up and down the slip roads, where there was just an eight- inch clearance between the traffic light.

The load is expected at the steel works for three weeks before it has to make its return journey to Teesside.