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| Snow brings M6 near Wigan to a standstill | Snow brings M6 near Wigan to a standstill |
| (2 days later) | |
| Heavy snowfall left motorists stranded for hours in their cars on motorways in the north of England. | Heavy snowfall left motorists stranded for hours in their cars on motorways in the north of England. |
| The Highways Agency closed the M6 in both directions between junctions 25 and 27, near Wigan, at about 20:30 GMT. | The Highways Agency closed the M6 in both directions between junctions 25 and 27, near Wigan, at about 20:30 GMT. |
| The M6, as well as the M56 and M58 which were also blocked, are now all moving again but remain heavily congested with long tailbacks, Lancashire Police said. | The M6, as well as the M56 and M58 which were also blocked, are now all moving again but remain heavily congested with long tailbacks, Lancashire Police said. |
| Up to 15cm (6in) of snow has fallen across northern England since Friday. | Up to 15cm (6in) of snow has fallen across northern England since Friday. |
| 'Stay in your car' | 'Stay in your car' |
| At 03:00 GMT, Lancashire Police tweeted: "Be reassured, we're doing all we can to get things moving again. | At 03:00 GMT, Lancashire Police tweeted: "Be reassured, we're doing all we can to get things moving again. |
| "There's been up to a foot of snow on some parts of the motorway but the snow ploughs are doing their best to shift it." | "There's been up to a foot of snow on some parts of the motorway but the snow ploughs are doing their best to shift it." |
| Jason Barr, who was stranded on the M6, said: "The only information we're getting at the moment is stay in your cars. If you have enough fuel, keep your engines on to keep your heating on. | Jason Barr, who was stranded on the M6, said: "The only information we're getting at the moment is stay in your cars. If you have enough fuel, keep your engines on to keep your heating on. |
| "I'm quite lucky, I've got some water, some food. I've got a charger for my phone and some spare fuel in my back, so I'm quite well prepared. | "I'm quite lucky, I've got some water, some food. I've got a charger for my phone and some spare fuel in my back, so I'm quite well prepared. |
| "But I do imagine there's other people a little bit worse off than me. I mean, I've tried to get past certain cars and there's people that have given up and are asleep in the middle of the lanes, in their cars." | "But I do imagine there's other people a little bit worse off than me. I mean, I've tried to get past certain cars and there's people that have given up and are asleep in the middle of the lanes, in their cars." |
| 'Snowball fights' | 'Snowball fights' |
| David Morris, the Conservative MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, was stuck on the M6 for more than three hours. | David Morris, the Conservative MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, was stuck on the M6 for more than three hours. |
| He told the BBC the snow "came from nowhere". | He told the BBC the snow "came from nowhere". |
| "It's a surreal scene to be had. We've even been having snowball fights on the M6." | "It's a surreal scene to be had. We've even been having snowball fights on the M6." |
| A spokesman for the agency said: "The snowstorms became very heavy last night and many drivers became stuck in the snow, especially heavy lorries as they tried to make it up hills. | A spokesman for the agency said: "The snowstorms became very heavy last night and many drivers became stuck in the snow, especially heavy lorries as they tried to make it up hills. |
| "Some drivers abandoned their cars which has made it difficult for us to clear paths through the snow. | "Some drivers abandoned their cars which has made it difficult for us to clear paths through the snow. |
| "We have had to move the cars to the side while staff continue to clear the areas, but we are urging people not to leave their cars." | "We have had to move the cars to the side while staff continue to clear the areas, but we are urging people not to leave their cars." |
| Elsewhere, flights have been suspended at Leeds Bradford Airport as a fresh blanket of snow covered most of the Yorkshire region. | Elsewhere, flights have been suspended at Leeds Bradford Airport as a fresh blanket of snow covered most of the Yorkshire region. |
| Temperatures will steadily rise to an average of 4C later before reaching more than 10C in the south on Sunday followed by wet and windy weather next week, forecasters said. | Temperatures will steadily rise to an average of 4C later before reaching more than 10C in the south on Sunday followed by wet and windy weather next week, forecasters said. |