Tragic M6 pedestrian death ‘not treated as suspicious’

Police were called to the northbound carriageway between junctions 21, for the M56, and junction 21A, for the M62, at 2.50am. On arrival, officers found the body of a pedestrian which they said had been 'struck by several vehicles' before ordering a full shutdown of the carriageway. Highways England suggested drivers either delay their journey or avoid the area as traffic was turned around at the closure point, and later guided off the motorway and junction 21.

A further section of the carriageway was closed by Lancashire Police some 25 miles to the north between junctions 28 and 30. Cumbria Police also closed the slip road to Tebay Services, some 80 miles to the north of the Cheshire scene, for forensic analysis, impounding an HGV and its curtain-sided trailer. Inrix Traffic Management reported in total, four cars and two HGVs were involved in the collision.

On Saturday afternoon, a Cheshire Police spokesman said: "At around 2.50am today, Saturday, March 7, police were called to reports of a serious collision on the M6 between junctions 21 and 21A. "Officers in attendance at the scene found that a pedestrian had been struck by several vehicles. "Sadly, the pedestrian was found dead at the scene."

On the morning of Sunday, March 8, Cheshire Police put out a further statement. It said: "At around 2.50am on Saturday, March 7, police were called to reports of a serious collision on the M6 between junctions 21 and 21A. "On attendance, officers found that a pedestrian had been struck by several vehicles.

"Sadly, the pedestrian was found dead at the scene. "Their death is not being treated as suspicious, and a case file will be prepared for the coroner." The northbound carriage between junctions 21 and 21A was closed for around 20 hours while police deal with the incident, re-opening between 10pm and 11pm.

The carriageway in the Leyland had been reopened by 2.45pm.