Last updated at 19:38, Monday, 25 February 2013

Two people have died in an eight vehicle crash on the M6 motorway through Cumbria.

Heavy goods vehicles, a van and cars were in collision on the M6 northbound, just after Burton services, between junction 35 and junction 36, at about 8.15am.

More than 20 emergency vehicles were still at the scene at 12noon.

The vehicles involved in the collision were:

• A ’SPAR’ rigid heavy goods vehicle, which was towing another trailer. Its male driver died at the scene.
• A blue flatbed lorry driven by a man who died at the scene. He is believed to be from the Southport area.
• A yellow HGV
• A dark coloured Peugeot 307, driven by a woman from Lancaster. It was trapped between the yellow HGV and a red Volvo HGV. The woman suffered serious injuries that are not believed to be life threatening.
• A red Volvo heavy goods vehicle.
• A white Mercedes flatbed heavy goods vehicle.
• A silver Renault Trafic van driven by a man who has been taken to Preston Royal Infirmary by air ambulance.
• A silver Volkswagen Golf car, which suffered damage from the debris of the collision. Its occupant was uninjured.

All casualties were taken to hospital by land or air ambulance.

A rolling road block was implemented on the northbound carriageway from junction 34.

Drivers were advised to use alternative routes wherever possible. The Highways Agency issued special advice to drivers of high, curtain-sided lorries and any other vehicle over 16-feet tall as the official diversion was unsuitable for them.

The road partially re-opened at 6.45pm following the removal of the vehicles and debris.

Lanes two and three are open but surface damage means lane one and the hard shoulder will remain closed for safety reasons.

The hard shoulder and lanes one and two will be closed tonight for resurfacing to take place.

The road should be fully open again well ahead of the morning's peak travel period.

The M6 south at junction 36 was temporarily closed to allow air ambulances to land at the accident scene.

First published at 09:46, Monday, 25 February 2013
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk