M6 LIVE updates as stretch of motorway fully shut with 'severe delays'

A stretch of the M6 is fully shut this afternoon due to a police incident.

The motorway is currently fully closed off between junction 16 for Crewe and junction 17 for Sandbach. It is shut in both directions.

Police are responding to an incident. Huge queues are forming with 'severe delays' on both sides of the motorway, according to traffic alert service Inrix.

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National Highways said in a post on X: "The #M6 in #Cheshire is now closed in both directions between J16 #Crewe and J17 #Sandbach due to a @NWmwaypolice led incident.

"More information to follow, thank you for your patience."

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This is the view from the M6 - with drivers trapped for over an hour now between J18 and J17 as all motorists are queuing southbound on the M6 to get off at Sandbach.

We’ve spoken to one couple who have been trapped in stationary traffic for an over an hour.

They said:

“It’s absolutely boiling hot and drivers are starting to get out of their cars to go to the toilet on the verges.

"We’ve been stuck now for over an hour in 26C for what is usually a five minute journey for us.

"The only lane moving is the outside lane but that’s leading to a bottleneck for everyone else trying to get off at J17."

For those unfamiliar with the junction, there are traffic lights to get off at J17 southbound, which involves a wait even in normal traffic conditions.