HOLIDAYMAKERS and commuters had to endure an arduous drive home last night after a chain snapped on the Sandbanks Ferry.

The vessel, which links Poole to Studland, went out of action at 1.30pm, leaving traffic with no alternative but to crawl along the heavily congested A351.

The road has been slow going on a daily basis throughout the summer and the problems came as the bank holiday getaway got into full swing.

Neil McCheyne, general manager of the ferry, said a link in one of the chains had "opened up".

The operators had a spare chain on site and engineers were busy fitting it yesterday afternoon and evening, with the hope of being back in service by 9pm.

Buses were laid on to take beachgoers back from the Studland side of the crossing to Sandbanks and a small boat capable of carrying up to 10 people at a time was also operating.

Signs were put up on surrounding roads to warn drivers of the closure.

Mr McCheyne said: "In my experience - I've been here about eight years - it's not happened.

"I believe it's happened in the past, but only when other vessels have come into contact with the chain.

"It's certainly not happened recently."

Traffic queued at both sides of the water for a time, but David Martin, who runs Haven Sports and Leisure Centre in Banks Road, Sandbanks, said it appeared people had heard of the fault and it caused little disruption.

Roy Raveney, co-licensee at the Shell Bay Restaurant on the Studland side, said traffic was turned around and dispersed quickly after it transpired that the ferry was going to be closed for some hours.

Last night was also the start of the Studland Country Fair, which runs all weekend.

Friday's scenario gave both workers and holidaymakers a taste of things to come, as the ferry is set to be taken out of service for eight weeks in September when it goes for a major refit and repairs are made to the slipways.