TRAFFIC chaos hit the notorious Handy Cross roundabout as commuters struggled to get to work when all the traffic lights mysteriously went out.

Confusion reigned as motorists struggled to negotiate the roundabout on Marlow Hill which connects some of the main commuter motorway routes.

Engineers from the Highways Agency were alerted to the problem at 6.30am on Thursday but several hours later the problem had still not been found.

Ian Mitchell, spokesman for the Highways Agency, said: "All the lights have been affected as they are all synchronised together.

"It seems that it is something fundamental that has gone wrong rather than just a few bulbs going but we are doing our best to rectify the problem."

Handy Cross roundabout is undergoing roadworks at the moment by both the Highways Agency and Cable and Wireless but they do not believe at this stage the two events are connected.