*** 1PM UPDATE

Highways officers are currently waiting for an engineer to attend the site to assess the damage before any clearance work can be started.

Depending on the extent of the damage and future risk of further slips, both carriageways may need sharing over the weekend for work to take place.

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THE A40 is closed between Dixton roundabout and Symonds Yat this morning due to a landslip at Ganarew right on the Wales-England border.

Following heavy rain overnight. a landslide blocked the one side of the carriageway on the hill up to the Ganarew bridge on the eastbound (towards Ross) direction of the dual carriageway.

Diversions are in place and large vehicles reportedly were attempting to negotiate the Old Hereford Road, adding to the misery of the early morning traffic.

Police are now preventing HGVs from using the A466 in and out of town, where two lorries got stuck last month on the Buckholt, following an accident south of Hereford which saw traffic rerouted and huge jams from welsh Newton back to St Weonards.

A lorry was seen to be attempting to turn around on the Hereford Road this morning as it was too high to travel under the Monmouth School for Girls’ footbridge.

One poster on Monmouth New Businesses said: “Hereford Road closed, HGVs being reversed back down. Police sending HGVs into Monmouth and down Monnow Street!”

Another added: “Just been advised by school that A40 north and south between Ross and Monmouth will remain closed for rest of the day.”

“Oh blimey... .its a nightmare,” said a third.

Gwent Police have advised motorists to find an alternative route saying that the A40 eastbound carriageway is closed between Dixton and the Goodrich exit.

One diversion is sending traffic up into the Forest of Dean as traffic is turned around at Dixton roundabout and headed westbound back towards Gibraltar tunnels