Police have warned motorists to "expect the unexpected" following an incident involving a car and farm machinery near Malton, North Yorkshire, last Tuesday.

Officers explained that tractor had to swerve to avoid a car, causing the combination cultivator it was carrying to fall off into the road, blocking it in both directions, at about 4:10pm, on the A169 near Wykeham.

Police arrived within minutes and managed traffic in the area to keep everyone safe. The tractor driver arranged for a forklift to attend and clear the implement, and the road was clear by 4:45pm. No one was injured.

However, that wasn’t the only disruption motorists encountered on the A169 that day.

Earlier, at about 11:00am, a clutch of chicks was wandering along the road near Pickering. Officers attended and helped members of the public round them up.

Vast swathes of North Yorkshire’s 6,000-mile road network are rural, and police are reminding motorists of the importance of driving safely and patiently on our country roads.

Country driving advice

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: “From poultry to ploughs, these incidents just go to show the unexpected hazards that drivers on North Yorkshire’s rural roads can encounter. We’re grateful for everyone’s patience while we sorted things out.

“Remember to read the road ahead, and expect the unexpected, so that everyone gets home safe.”