In a tragic incident, the M6 motorway in Greater Manchester was closed for several hours after a woman’s body was discovered, leading to miles of tailbacks and significant delays for commuters.
The closure, which affected both northbound and southbound carriageways between junctions 23 and 26, began shortly after 8 AM on Thursday morning. Greater Manchester Police were called to the scene following concerns for a woman’s welfare on Downall Green Road in Wigan at around 7:42 AM.
Sadly, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene, though formal identification is yet to take place. Police have stated that there are no suspicious circumstances believed to be involved.
National Highways North West reported that the northbound carriageway saw delays of around 60 minutes, with five miles of congestion, while the southbound side experienced 30-minute delays and four miles of queuing traffic. The motorway was eventually reopened by late afternoon or early evening.
Greater Manchester Police have appealed for witnesses to the incident, including anyone who may have witnessed the event itself, collided with something in the carriageway, or has dashcam or CCTV footage of the incident.
“This includes anyone who witnessed the incident itself, that may have collided with something in the carriageway at this location, or has dashcam / CCTV footage of the incident,” a police spokesperson said.
The tragic incident has once again highlighted the importance of road safety and the impact that such events can have on the travelling public. Authorities are urging anyone with information that could assist the ongoing investigation to come forward and contact the police.
