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| M6 snow leaves drivers stranded | M6 snow leaves drivers stranded |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Hundreds of people spent the night in vehicles after snow brought motorways in the north of England to a halt. | Hundreds of people spent the night in vehicles after snow brought motorways in the north of England to a halt. |
| The M6 was blocked in both directions between junctions 25 and 27 in Lancashire after more than 30cm (12ins) of snow fell. | The M6 was blocked in both directions between junctions 25 and 27 in Lancashire after more than 30cm (12ins) of snow fell. |
| They spent the night stuck in cars and lorries before traffic started to move freely again on Saturday morning. | They spent the night stuck in cars and lorries before traffic started to move freely again on Saturday morning. |
| Flights were also suspended at Leeds Bradford Airport as workers tried to clear snow from the runway. | Flights were also suspended at Leeds Bradford Airport as workers tried to clear snow from the runway. |
| Problems began late on Friday as huge waves of snow storms swept across northern England. | Problems began late on Friday as huge waves of snow storms swept across northern England. |
| The M6 was hardest hit as several lorries jack-knifed between Wigan and Standish, bringing traffic to a standstill for hours. | The M6 was hardest hit as several lorries jack-knifed between Wigan and Standish, bringing traffic to a standstill for hours. |
| At one stage, the queue of stranded traffic stretched for up to three miles. | At one stage, the queue of stranded traffic stretched for up to three miles. |
| There were also problems on the M56 and M58, although police say traffic is now moving again across the region. | There were also problems on the M56 and M58, although police say traffic is now moving again across the region. |
| Meanwhile, snow also caused problems across England: | Meanwhile, snow also caused problems across England: |
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| Motorist Ryan Murray was stuck for seven hours on the M6 in Lancashire as he made his way from Aberdeen. | Motorist Ryan Murray was stuck for seven hours on the M6 in Lancashire as he made his way from Aberdeen. |
| He said: "The snow got worse and then started to come in sideways. You could not see at all. | He said: "The snow got worse and then started to come in sideways. You could not see at all. |
| "The motorway became an absolute car park. What was making it worse was once all the articulated lorries stopped they struggled to get moving again. | "The motorway became an absolute car park. What was making it worse was once all the articulated lorries stopped they struggled to get moving again. |
| "I was stuck from about 11pm to 6am. I was sitting there for seven hours. A couple of people got out and made snowmen." | "I was stuck from about 11pm to 6am. I was sitting there for seven hours. A couple of people got out and made snowmen." |
| 'Stuck for hours' | 'Stuck for hours' |
| Motorist Neil Turner was stuck on the same road as he made his way from Glasgow to Gravesend. | Motorist Neil Turner was stuck on the same road as he made his way from Glasgow to Gravesend. |
| He said: "By the time I got to junction 25, it was just a standstill. I spent three and half hours just sitting there not moving. It was horrible. | He said: "By the time I got to junction 25, it was just a standstill. I spent three and half hours just sitting there not moving. It was horrible. |
| "I think a couple of lorries must have jack-knifed and blocked traffic." | "I think a couple of lorries must have jack-knifed and blocked traffic." |
| Ch Insp Mike Adamson, of Lancashire Police, said: "We realised at about 11pm last night that this was going to be a major incident. | Ch Insp Mike Adamson, of Lancashire Police, said: "We realised at about 11pm last night that this was going to be a major incident. |
| "Some of the drivers and passengers have been stuck for hours - it has been a very difficult night for them. | "Some of the drivers and passengers have been stuck for hours - it has been a very difficult night for them. |
| "We have set up a command centre at Charnock Services, where officers have collected hot drinks and taken them to those who are stuck." | "We have set up a command centre at Charnock Services, where officers have collected hot drinks and taken them to those who are stuck." |
| Some of the stranded drivers abandoned their cars completely. | Some of the stranded drivers abandoned their cars completely. |
| One man had to be taken to hospital by police after becoming ill in his car while it was stuck. | One man had to be taken to hospital by police after becoming ill in his car while it was stuck. |
| The Highways Agency worked throughout the night to clear the routes with snow ploughs. | The Highways Agency worked throughout the night to clear the routes with snow ploughs. |
| Lancashire Police has urged drivers who abandoned vehicles on the A56 between Rising Bridge and Edenfield overnight to move them. | |
| Up to 30 vehicles were left on the road but a Lancashire Police spokesman said the lane closed is re-opening so they need to be moved as soon as possible. | |
| Trains between Wigan Wallgate and Preston and Liverpool South Parkway and Blackpool North have been suspended in both directions due to the weather. | |
| A spokesman for Northern Rail said some replacement buses are being provided between Wigan Wallgate and Preston. | |
| The runway has re-opened at Leeds Bradford International Airport after snow halted flights on Friday night. | The runway has re-opened at Leeds Bradford International Airport after snow halted flights on Friday night. |
| However, passengers were warned there would still be delays to services. | However, passengers were warned there would still be delays to services. |
| North Yorkshire Fire Service said a husband and wife had to be rescued from a snow drift on the North York Moors after a breakdown company refused to attend. | North Yorkshire Fire Service said a husband and wife had to be rescued from a snow drift on the North York Moors after a breakdown company refused to attend. |
| Roads blocked | Roads blocked |
| A spokesman said: "Due to extreme weather conditions a husband and wife had driven into a snow drift and were unable to get out. | A spokesman said: "Due to extreme weather conditions a husband and wife had driven into a snow drift and were unable to get out. |
| "The wife had undergone surgery a week before and they had tried to dig themselves out for over two hours." | "The wife had undergone surgery a week before and they had tried to dig themselves out for over two hours." |
| North Yorkshire Police said some main roads were blocked by snow and abandoned vehicles including the A59 between Harrogate and Skipton and the B6265 at Rylstone. | North Yorkshire Police said some main roads were blocked by snow and abandoned vehicles including the A59 between Harrogate and Skipton and the B6265 at Rylstone. |
| Bus services were suspended in a number of towns in West Yorkshire yesterday evening, including in Halifax and Keighley. | Bus services were suspended in a number of towns in West Yorkshire yesterday evening, including in Halifax and Keighley. |
| The Met Office warned that melting snow and rain predicted for Sunday could then lead to flooding. | The Met Office warned that melting snow and rain predicted for Sunday could then lead to flooding. |
| The Environment Agency has issued six flood warnings across the South West and 74 flood alerts in England. | The Environment Agency has issued six flood warnings across the South West and 74 flood alerts in England. |