M-way snarl-up after lorry smash

Long queues formed on the northbound carriageway just past junction 31 Tickled Trout as emergency services dealt with the incident at around 8.15am.

Police closed two of the four lanes, leaving the remaining two heavily congested.

One eye witness said: “It looked like a car had spun round and then been hit side on by a lorry.

“There were people on the hard shoulder and banking and the whole motorway was gridlocked for a while.

“But thankfully it didn’t look like anyone had been badly hurt.”

Tailbacks quickly built up at what is one of the busiest times of the day for the motorway, with queues stretching back onto the M61.