Pictures show people ditching their cars on the M6 following major travel disruption on the motorway in Lancashire due to a crash that brought Easter traffic to a grinding halt
Hundreds of motorists were forced to abandon their cars on a busy motorway after a crash sparked nightmare delays, with some even pictured playing football on the empty road as they tried to pass the time on a sunny Easter weekend.
Drivers on the M6 decided to ditch their cars and wait for time to pass in the sunshine on Easter Sunday. Some people were even spotted playing football following the delays in Lancashire. Shocking images showed people waiting on the grass and sitting on the the central reservation barrier as traffic ground to a halt. One road user descibed the scenes as the “wildest” she’s even witnessed.
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She wrote on Twitter: “Traffic closed on both sides for the past hour! Hundreds of people on the road! Wildest I have seen the motorway be. Really hope everyone is okay.”
It was later confirmed that a 14-year-old boy had died following a crash next to the M6. Lancashire Police said emergency services were called at just after 12.15pm on Sunday after a Peugeot van left the carriageway between southbound junctions 34 and 33 and crashed into a tree.
No other vehicles were involved in the incident. A 14-year-old passenger in the van was pronounced dead at the scene. The van driver, a man in his 30s who was the father of the passenger, suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital where he remains.
Sergeant Martin Wilcock, of the serious collision investigation unit, said: “This collision has very sadly resulted in the death of a young man and left another man with serious injuries and my thoughts are with their loved ones.
“I would appeal to anyone who saw what happened, and who hasn’t yet spoken with police, or anyone with dashcam or mobile footage, to get in touch. I would also like to speak to anyone who saw the van in the moments before the collision.”
No other vehicles were believed to be involved in yesterday’s tragedy which caused the road to be closed for several hours. It has since fully reopened.
A spokesman for Lancashire Constabulary added: “We are appealing for witnesses after a collision on the M6 motorway left one person dead and another seriously injured. Emergency services were called at just after 12.15pm today (Sunday, April 20th) after a Peugeot van left the carriageway between junctions 34 and 33 southbound near to university hill and crashed into a tree. No other vehicles were involved.
“A 14-year-old passenger in the van suffered serious injuries and was very sadly pronounced dead at the scene. The van driver, a man in his 30s and father of the passenger, suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital where he remains. Our thoughts are with their loved ones at this time.”
Anyone with information has been urged to call 101 quoting log 0503 of April 20th, adding that people can also email the serious collision investigation unit at SCIU@lancashire.police.uk.
