A lorry that burst into flames after being blown into a bridge by strong winds has caused major delays amid travel chaos brought by the arrival of Storm Franklin.
Part of the M6 remains blocked with long delays in the area after the lorry caught fire after hitting the bridge. The driver was reportedly rescued from the vehicle by members of the public and was taken to hospital after escaping the flames. His condition is currently unknown.
The incident, which took place shortly after 5.00am, has left the northbound carriageway blocked between junctions 27 and 28 of the M6, near Wigan, as fire crews clear up the remains of the lorry.
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The M6 was temporarily closed in both directions in the area while the fire was put out but has since been reopened, with Highways England warning of severe delays.
Elsewhere, a section of the M60 near the Trafford Centre in Manchester remains fully closed in both directions as emergency services respond to an overturned lorry.
In a tweet, Transport for Greater Manchester urged drivers to avoid the motorway between J10 and J11 after police were called to reports of the overturned vehicle, and reminded motorists to take extra caution while on the roads today.
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'Strong rain & high winds with storm Franklin. Remember: Lights on! Wipers on! & Take extra care!' they wrote.
North West Motorway Police have since confirmed that no injuries were reported in the incident, per Manchester Evening News.
Storm Franklin has brought yet more disruption to the UK as a yellow warning for high winds remains in place across much of the country. Heavy rainfall over the past 24 hours has also led to more than 150 flood warnings being issued, with BBC News reporting that dozens of homes have been evacuated in the south of Manchester after officials grew concerned that the River Mersey may be about to break its banks.
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Widespread flooding has also been reported in Yorkshire and parts of Northern Ireland.
Rail services have been thrown into chaos for the second time in the space of four days, with many operators warning passengers to avoid travelling on the network due to disruption caused by the storm.
It comes as thousands of homes in the south of England remain without power following record winds brought by Storm Eunice on Friday.
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Hannah Smith