A FOUR CAR crash temporarily halted traffic on the M62.

UPDATE: The carriageway has now been cleared and re-opened.

Traffic was stopped earlier this evening on the M62 eastbound at junction 18, the Simister interchange, after the four-car crash which occured at about 7.30pm this evening (January 24).

North West Motorway Police and ambulance services are on the scene where ambulance staff are checking the drivers.

A spokesperson for the motorway police said: "We are on scene at an RTC M62 J18 to J19 Eastbound Debris is being cleared from the Live lane and Ambulance staff are checking the drivers of the vehicles involved.

"Traffic is stopped We Will keep you updated"

Traffic has since been released in lanes three and four to allow traffic to pass, with lanes one and two remaining closed to allow emergency services to clear debris from the crash.

The AA traffic news says: "Two lanes closed and queueing traffic due to multi-vehicle accident on M62 Eastbound from M60 (Simister Island) to J19 A6046 Middleton Road (Heywood)."

It also adds: "Delays of five minutes and delays increasing on M62 Eastbound between M60 (Prestwich / Whitefield) and M62 (Birch Services). Average speed 15 mph."