A WARBOYS mother is calling for a police investigation to be made public after she and her family were stuck on the M11 for seven hours – and missed her mother-in-law s memorial concert. The Olivier family is asking Essex traffic police to publish their f

A WARBOYS mother is calling for a police investigation to be made public after she and her family were stuck on the M11 for seven hours - and missed her mother-in-law's memorial concert.

The Olivier family is asking Essex traffic police to publish their findings.

Kim Olivier 41, Mark Olivier, 48, Holly Croucher, 14, and Callie the dog were going to a memorial concert at Epson Church Hall. They had left Warboys at 12.30pm on Saturday February 25 and arrived in Epson at 9.30pm - too late to see the concert that had started at 7.30pm.

The memorial concert was for Mark's mother Joy, who died of cancer on Christmas day aged 76. It was organised by the dramatics group Songsters she had directed for 40 years.

Mr Olivier said: "Songsters was her life and the concert was their way of saying thank you for her commitment. The family wasn't represented there at all which was such a shame."

The journey should have taken the family two hours but took nine. Mrs Olivier said: "We felt totally helpless, we could see the slip road just behind us but were totally stuck."

Mrs Olivier has lodged a formal complaint with Essex traffic police and is calling on others who were stuck to do the same.

In her email, Mrs Olivier referred to the situation on the M11 as "an absolute shambles" and a "traumatic" experience for her daughter and the family dog. She asked why there were no warning notices on information boards before the Stansted Junction. And why was the road not closed and traffic diverted off at the Stansted junction to stop any more cars getting onto the road.

John Broughton, assistant chief constable of protective services, said: "Essex Police regrets the delays and discomfort suffered by a large number of road users. A debrief with all the relevant agencies will take place in the near future and part of this will be to assess what, if anything, could have been done better."

Mrs Olivier said: "I'd like to see the findings of the debrief - and I think the debrief is lip service."

n As reported by The Hunts Post last week, drivers were trapped on the M11 for six hours after a lorry broke down and the rescue vehicle going to help it caught fire. The recovery vehicle was carrying oxy-acetylene containers which have to be cooled for 24 hours after a fire. Because of the danger of explosion, the road was closed for 24 hours with tailbacks of eight miles in both directions.