A MAN on the run from a mental hospital caused a bomb-scare which led to rush-hour chaos on the M5 between the Stroud junction and Dursley.

An Army bomb disposal team was called in on Thursday afternoon after the man was seen acting suspiciously leading police to fear a rucksack in his vehicle may contain a bomb.

The 21-year-old, from Bristol, was arrested on suspicion of being a disqualified driver and taken to a police station for questioning.

Officers discovered he was also in breach of Section 3 of the Mental Health Act as he had left a psychiatric hospital and had not been seen for several days.

Police first became suspicious about his behaviour around 4.20pm when he was seen driving around Cheltenham.

Half-an-hour later he was spotted again, heading south on the M5, where he was stopped and arrested.

Police said his bizarre behaviour led them to fear his rucksack may contain an explosive device.

Though only one lane of the southbound carriageway was initially closed, officers decided to close the motorway in both directions as a precautionary measure, causing major traffic hold-ups.

The stretch of road between junctions 13 and 14 was not completely reopened until 8.30pm.

The man has been released on bail into the care of mental health services and the vehicle confiscated.