Traffic chaos in Heywood and Middleton

Traffic chaos brought Heywood and Middleton to a stand still in the evening rush hour after part of the northbound carriageway of the M66 was closed while officers dealt with an incident.

At around 3.20pm (Wednesday 7 February) motorway police were called to the northbound carriageway of the motorway near junction 3.

Officers attended and found a man lying nearby a white van in the outside lane of the carriageway. The man subsequently died.

The northbound carriageway, now reopened, was been closed between Simister Island, (junction 18 of the M60) and junction 3 of the M66.

The death is not being treated as suspicious - it is believed the man became ill at the wheel of his car. 

The case will be passed onto the coroner.