A man has died and two others have been seriously injured following an M6 wrong-way crash near Charnock Richard late on Sunday night.
The collision, which involved a Vauxhall Astra and a Toyota Corolla, prompted a full closure of the southbound carriageway between junctions 28 (Leyland) and 27 (Standish) for more than 15 hours.
Lancashire Police confirmed the crash occurred shortly after 21:30 GMT on Sunday when the Astra, travelling in the wrong direction, collided with the Corolla close to Charnock Richard services. Officers had first received reports of a car driving against the flow of traffic on the southbound carriageway just minutes before the collision.
A police spokeswoman said: “Sadly, the driver of the Astra, a man in his 50s, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver and passenger of the Corolla, both men in their 40s, were taken to hospital with serious injuries where they remain.”
She added that an investigation was under way, but that “at this stage, we understand that the Vauxhall Astra was travelling in the wrong direction.”
Emergency services attended the scene, and National Highways North West confirmed that the southbound section of the M6 remained closed until around 12:50 GMT on Monday. Two of the three lanes on the northbound side were also closed during the response but reopened around midday.
The collision caused significant disruption across the motorway network. Drivers experienced delays of more than an hour and a half, with traffic tailing back for several miles in wet conditions. A motorway camera image released by authorities showed a long line of vehicles queued in the rain, their headlights stretching into the distance, while the opposite carriageway was empty.
Sgt Rebecca Price from Lancashire Police’s road policing unit said the force’s “thoughts are with the loved ones of the man who sadly lost his life”. She described the incident as “devastating” and said the investigation remained “very much in its early stages”.
Officers are now appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage to help piece together the moments leading up to the crash. Sgt Price said: “We would like to hear from anyone who was travelling on the motorway and may have witnessed the incident, or who has dashcam footage of the collision.”
She also urged anyone with video from Blackpool Road in Preston, taken around 21:15 GMT, to come forward, as investigators believe the Astra may have been involved in a separate damage-only collision shortly before the fatal crash.
The M6 wrong-way crash near Charnock Richard has led police to remind drivers to exercise caution and report any dangerous driving immediately. Sgt Price acknowledged the considerable inconvenience caused by the lengthy closure but thanked motorists for their patience: “We know that this collision has had a significant impact on traffic in the area. We thank those of you who were stuck in the traffic or had your route delayed for your understanding while we responded to the incident.”
In a further statement, Sgt Price addressed speculation surrounding the crash, urging restraint from social media users. “We understand there has been some discussion in the local community, but I want to take this time to ask that you please refrain from speculating online or otherwise,” she said. “Please remember that there are real people who have been affected by this collision who may see your comments online.”
Police are continuing to investigate how the Astra came to be travelling the wrong way along one of the region’s busiest motorway stretches. The force has appealed for anyone with information that may assist inquiries to contact Lancashire Police’s road policing unit directly.
