A MAN has been seriously injured in a crash that closed a motorway for more than seven hours.

Emergency services rushed to the scene on the M66 near junction 2 for Bury at around 11.30pm last night after a red Fiat 500, travelling southbound collided with cones and the nearside barrier.

A silver VW Golf and Ford Transit, managed to avoid colliding with the Fiat but an Audi A3 hit it as the driver tried to avoid the cones and other cars.

The driver of the Fiat was flung from the vehicle and was found lying in the carriageway by police.

The 47-year-old was and was unconscious and bleeding and was treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to hospital where he is in a serious not not critical condition.

The Fiat 500 was badly damaged in the crash and also set on fire and had to be extinguished by firefighters The barrier was completely destroyed such was the impact of the crash.

The road was completely impassable because of the debris from the barrier and the cars and was closed until around 7am.

Police also carried out an investigation at the scene and repairs were carried out to the barrier.

There were concerns other people may have still been trapped in the Fiat or could have been flung from the car down a nearby embankment which was a sheer 30 foot drop down to the Irwell, Bury fire station watch manager Steve Wilcox said.

Firefighters used thermal imaging cameras to see if anyone was down by the river before police used the car's number plate to trace the vehicle and find out from the family who should have been in the car.

Mr Wilcox said: "The driver had obviously suffered some serious injuries.

"He was unconscious throughout and we didn't know whether there was other people in the car. It was a huge concern.

"The driver has been very lucky."

Police constable Martin Davies of GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “A man is now in hospital with serious injuries and my thoughts are with him as he recovers from this incident.

“That stretch of the M66 was closed for a number of hours last night and as our enquiries continue, we need the public’s help to ensure we have a full picture of what happened.

“I’m asking for anyone who was travelling along the M66 late last night that has dash-cam footage, or information that could help this investigation, to share this with police.”

A midwife on her way to a woman who was giving birth also drove through the debris after the crash and blew out one of her tyres.

Firefighters helped her to change the tyre so she could get to the expectant mother.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 0161 856 4741 or 101, quoting incident number 2464 of 20/02/18. Reports can also be made anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.