SCOTCH Corner certainly lived up to its name when a lorry load of whisky tippled over.

Dozens of bottles of scotch smashed in their cases as the Mercedes lorry had a spill onto the southbound A1 sliproad - closing the famous North Yorkshire junction for ten hours.

Police said last night that the contents of the bottles, including several cases of the single malt Glenfiddich, seaped over the road.

One eyewitness told The Northern Echo: "The whole roundabout stunk - it just reeked of whisky."

The Highways Agency later righted the lorry and the junction was given a good wash.

No one was injured in the accident, which happened at 11.50pm on Thursday. No other vehicle was involved.

It is the latest in a series of accidents at the roundabout and has strengthened calls for improvements.

Recent changes to the road system has seen the Scotch Corner roundabout reduced to one lane from two and back again.

And a public consultation is to be held into placing traffic lights on it to control the traffic flow.

North Yorkshire county councillor Michael Heseltine said: "The changes on the roundabout at Scotch Corner will come in the Highway Agency's scheme to upgrade the A1.

"I look forward very much to when the work is complete. This is a difficult situation and an extremely important junction.

"The work will improve the layout of the road and make sure future accidents are kept to a minimum."

The £325m proposals include a three-lane motorway for 24 miles through North Yorkshire, between Dishforth, near Thirsk, and Barton, just south of Darlington.

A public inquiry into the proposals begins on Tuesday, October 17, and, if it clears all statutory procedures, work is likely to get under way in 2008 and be completed by 2011.

A Highways Agency spokesman said: "Traffic lights are proposed at the junction as part of the A1 upgrading.

"Highways has been working to ensure the effective movement of traffic on the roundabout.

"Road markings have been changed to try and improve the traffic flow and the lane display.

"The most recent change is one in the last 12 months and this is still being monitored."

The work will tie in with a £22m scheme to dual seven miles of the A66 trans-Pennine route, due to be completed next summer.

The scheme will dual the sections between Greta Bridge, near Barnard Castle, and Stephen Bank, Carkin Moor and Scotch Corner.