Fog and ice lead to morning chaos on M61 (From This Is Lancashire)

Fog and ice lead to morning chaos on M61

8:45am Tuesday 29th December 2009 in

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FREEZING fog and ice brought chaos to the M61 between Westhoughton and Horwich yesterday morning.

A woman, aged 38, had to be cut out of her Smart car after losing control on an icy surface, ploughing into a parked Highways Agency Land Rover on the hard shoulder of the motorway.

The M61 was closed in both directions between Westhoughton and Horwich for almost two hours while gritters were brought in to treat the icy carriageway.

A series of minor collisions on the stretch between Chorley and Bolton had already occurred during the morning.

Then, at 8.45am, a Highways Agency vehicle was parked on the hard shoulder of the northbound carriageway, dealing with an accident in which a car had slewed off the motorway into a field between junctions five and six.

The Smart car went out of control and ran into the back of the Land Rover, shunting it forwards.

Firefighters from Bolton and Horwich spent more than 30 minutes cutting free the woman from her wrecked car, while paramedics gave her painkillers.

She was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital suffering from a shoulder injury.

Paramedics also treated a man at the scene who had been in the Highways Agency’s vehicle and had suffered minor injuries.

The crash caused a six-mile tailback on the northbound carriageway.

The motorway was reopened to traffic at 10.45am.

Although a thaw may have started over the weekend, the Met Office has warned there could be more snow and sleet over the next couple of days.

Light snow showers are forecast for today, with more sleet or snow heading for the area tomorrow.

Temperatures over the next couple of days will rise above 2C during the day, but sunnier weather and slightly warmer temperatures are predicted towards the end of the week. Meanwhile, people are being urged to take extra care when out and about. Icy roads and pavements are still causing difficulties.

In Highfield Drive, Farnworth, pensioners living in 21 elderly and disabled bungalows said a lack of grit on their street had made it treacherous to go outside and wanted Bolton Council to make gritting a priority for areas where there are concentrations of elderly people.

Resident Barry Barnes, aged 61, said: “If they came down once with a gritter it would help. The road is like an ice rink. No one had given a thought to us.”

jrowe@theboltonnews.co.uk