LIVE: M6 crash as three lanes shut for hours after lorry overturns

Drivers are facing long queues approaching Greater Manchester after a lorry overturned on the M6. Two lanes of traffic are currently closed on the northbound carriageway in Cheshire, between junctions 17 at Sandbach and 18 at Middlewich. Three lanes were closed for around seven hours.

Firefighters rescued a casualty from the scene. National Highways says there are queues tailing back for more than a mile. The lanes have been closed since around 4am this morning (December 31).

There is ongoing work to clear the load and the lorry from the scene, National Highways says. Traffic is 'very slow' approaching the incident, according to the Inrix traffic monitoring system. A National Highways north west spokesperson wrote on X: "If you're heading #M6 northbound, please allow extra journey time following an overturned HGV between J17 #Sandbach and J18 #HolmesChapel.

The HGV has come to rest on the nearside barrier." Four fire engines attended the scene, plus a major rescue unit. A Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "Firefighters were called to rescue one person from a lorry that had overturned on its side.

"Crews were able to free the casualty and assess them on the scene. It is believed their injuries are non-life-threatening, and the casualty was handed over to paramedics. Police and Highways are also on scene and lanes one to three are closed while the motorway is cleared."

This is a live event.

Follow the latest updates below.