Police issue warning after images show children roaming around freely on M6
Police have warned motorists of the dangers of abandoning cars on the motorway after releasing images of children running around and playing frisbee on the M6.
Lancashire Police temporarily stopped traffic on the M6 at a junction in Lancaster on Saturday as they attended an incident near a bridge.
However, in doing so, some motorists used it as an opportunity to abandon their cars and roam freely along the motorway, while others decided to play frisbee. A spokesperson for Lancashire Police said: “Sadly within a few minutes, a number of motorists held in the blocks thought it was acceptable to get out of their vehicles to see what was going on.
“Some people allowed their children to run freely on the carriageway and others began to play frisbee and football.
“Unbelievably a number of motorists abandoned their cars and went into the services, with many crossing to the opposite side of the motorway.
“When the motorway reopened a short time later, there were a number of abandoned vehicles which blocked the motorway causing additional delays, and other drivers who found themselves unwilling to continue their journey due to their passengers finding themselves unable to return to their vehicles.”
Drivers are urged to stay in their vehicles and wait for instructions from police or National Highways if they find themselves in a tailback.
The spokesperson added that they were seeing this happening more and more, with people thinking this behaviour is acceptable and added that it created a dangerous situation which in turn caused officers to detract from dealing with the initial cause of the delay.
They said: “We urge people who find themselves in a tailback on the motorway to remain in their vehicles and to await instruction or direction from the Police or National Highways.
“Let us be able to concentrate on dealing with the initial emergency to get you moving as soon as possible.” A 36-year-old man from Preston has since been arrested as part of an investigation into the Unauthorised Taking of a Motor Vehicle.