Emergency services were scrambled after a major seven-car smash on the M60 caused huge delays through Salford and Trafford. Police, firefighters and paramedics all raced out to the scene between junctions 16 at Kearsley and 17 for Prestwich and Whitefield, following a crash on the clockwise carriageway before 6pm this evening (August 25).
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) confirmed that seven vehicles were involved. Thankfully, everyone involved in the smash was able to leave their vehicles safely.
The pile up caused severe delays along the M60 during rush hour, with traffic tailing back for 10 miles to junction seven, for Stretford and Sale. Three lanes of the motorway were initially closed while the scene was cleared.
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Congestion finally eased off after around two hours. In a statement, a spokesperson for GMFRS said: "Just before 6pm this evening seven vehicles on the M60 motorway between junctions 16 and 17 were involved in a road traffic collision.
"Firefighters from Whitefield and Broughton fire stations attended and made one vehicle safe at the request of Greater Manchester Police. North West Ambulance Service colleagues were also in attendance.
"All vehicle occupants were able to leave their vehicles and move to safety, and firefighters are leaving the incident." The major collision was one of a number of incidents that caused disruption on motorways around Greater Manchester today (Thursday).
Drivers faced queues of four miles heading westbound on the M56 approaching junction seven for Bowden after a 'multi-car' collision at around 7pm this evening. Further west, festival-goers from Manchester were hit by long delays heading towards the Creamfields event in Daresbury, after a collision involving a car and a pedestrian on exit the slip road at junction 11 this afternoon.
Cheshire Police said the pedestrian, a man in his 20s, sustained serious but non-life threatening injuries. And there were further delays on the M6 northbound this afternoon, as two lanes were closed for emergency repairs near junction 23 for the A580 East Lancs Road at St Helens.
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