Police have issued an appeal after an Audi drove the wrong way down the hard shoulder of the M65 during a major incident.
Emergency services were called to the motorway, close to Blackburn, following an incident on Sunday (May 5). A motorcyclist was rushed to hospital after colliding with the central reservation.
The incident occurred on the eastbound carriageway, between junctions three and four, shortly before 3.30pm. The road was forced to shut for several hours and other motorists were told to avoid the area.
During the closure, officers from Lancashire Constabulary say an impatient driver behind the wheel of a grey Audi drove the wrong way down the hard shoulder in order to escape the traffic.
Officers are now appealing for witnesses - particularly those with dashcam footage of the incident.
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A spokesperson for the force said: "We are appealing for witnesses to find a grey Audi that drove the wrong way on the hard shoulder whilst we were dealing with a serious collision on the M65 on the afternoon of Sunday 5th May.
"Any dashcam footage would also be appreciated. Please email 3523@lancashire.police.uk"
The 59-year-old rider of the motorcycle involved in the collision suffered serious, life-changing injuries in the incident. He remains in hospital.
Sgt. Laura Kendall, of our Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “A man has suffered some life-changing injuries as a result of this collision, and my thoughts are with him and his loved ones at this incredibly challenging time.
“I am now appealing to you, the public, to ask that if you have any dashcam footage from the M65, between junctions one and five, between 3:15 and 3:25 pm yesterday, to please get in touch.
“We are also keen to speak with any other drivers, particularly any other motorcyclists, who were travelling Eastbound around this time, and may have witnessed the collision or stopped at the scene. If this is you, or you know someone who was travelling along this section of the M65 around the time of the collision, please get in contact.
“I know a lot of you will have been spoken to at the scene, but if you have any information that can assist our enquiries, please do contact us.
“Finally, I want to thank you for your patience whilst the motorway was closed for a few hours yesterday, as the man was taken to hospital, and we carried out our enquiries.
“We know that this may have caused concern for some of you, and that there has been some speculation online regarding the collision. We’d continue to ask you to refrain from speculation on social media, but if you do have any information that could assist our enquiries, please contact us through the appropriate channels.”
