Greater Manchester Police close the M60 for three hours after a welfare concern for a woman on a bridge

Greater Manchester Police closed the M60 in both directions between Junction 17 at Prestwich and Junction 18 at Simister Island from approximately 4.24am on Thursday after fire crews and police responded to a woman on a bridge. North West Ambulance Service and two fire engines from Whitefield and Agecroft joined Greater Manchester Police at the scene. The woman was brought to safety and all roads have since reopened, though some residual delays remained.

Traffic backed up as far as Junction 12 at the M62 Eccles Interchange, with knock-on congestion affecting the M61, the M62 and Bury Old Road in Whitefield.

Emergency services remained on scene for more than three hours and 25 minutes before the closure and diversions via the A56 Bury New Road were lifted.

A separate collision near Stockport was also holding up traffic on the anticlockwise carriageway between Junctions 27 and 1 at the Pyramid.