A woman has been found dead on the M6 in Greater Manchester, leading to the closure of a stretch of the motorway for several hours. Police were called at 7.42am on Friday to reports of concerns for a person's welfare between junctions 23 at Haydock and 26 at Orrell.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. National Highways stated the M6 would remain closed for a number of hours, with no estimated reopening time initially. The northbound carriageway later reopened with one lane closed, while the southbound remained shut.
Drivers faced long delays, with congestion stretching for miles. Diversion routes were put in place via the M58 and A580. Bus services 375 and 385 in the Wigan area were also affected by the traffic.
National Highways advised that the closure was expected to last throughout the day. Emergency services, including police and traffic officers, remained on scene. A separate crash near junction 21 at Woolston added to delays.
