A DEER has been killed after it was hit by a car on the motorway.

The animal was struck after it burst through the fencing on the sliproad of junction 6 of the M61 southbound, near Horwich on Friday.

Officers from the Highways Agency were called to the incident at 1.20pm, and there was minor disruption to traffic for 20 minutes as the scene was cleared. The driver was unharmed.

A spokesman for the Agency said incidents like this are not uncommon in spring, and they work with land owners to make sure fencing is secure close to the motorway.