A MOTORIST from Blackburn has been left with serious injuries after an incident on the hard shoulder of the M6.

Police say a BMW driver travelling northbound was involved in a collision with the central reservation, close to junction 35, at around 3pm yesterday.

He went to stand behind a barrier on the hard shoulder, after crossing the carriageway, but was then hit by a Skoda Octavia.

The 34-year-old, who has not been named, suffered from a serious head injury, fractures to the upper body and internal injuries.

He was taken by air ambulance to Royal Preston Hospital for treatment and is in a serious condition.

The driver of the Skoda, a 41-year-old man from Edinburgh, was not injured.

Eight other vehicles were also involved in collisions around the time of the incident on the northbound carriageway.

A second collision, involving five vehicles on the southbound carriageway, took place around 3pm.

No serious injuries have been reported and the road re-opened a short time later.

The M6 was closed northbound for six hours while accident investigators attended the scene and vehicles were recovered.

Police are now appealing for information following the incident, including for any dashboard mounted camera footage of any of the collisions.

Sgt Steve Hardman, of Lancashire Police, said: “We are investigating a serious collision on the M6. A number of vehicles were involved, with one man suffering serious injuries.

“We are appealing to anyone with information to come forward. We understand there were exceptional weather conditions during the time of the collisions and would ask anyone with dashcam footage to come forward.

“Furthermore, if you helped to move any of the vehicles involved to the hard shoulder before police arrived, please get in touch.”

Anyone with information is being asked to contact police on the non-emergency number 101 or e-mail 2385@lancashire.pnn.police.uk quoting log 0843 of January 16.