Man, 24, killed in M62 crash after car hits bridge in Middleton

A man has died in a crash on the M62 after his car hit a bridge, leading to the closure of the motorway.

The 24-year-old’s Audi A5 S line came off the carriageway at about 23:30 GMT on Sunday and struck a bridge between junctions 19 and 18 in Middleton, Greater Manchester Police said.

Commuters are facing 90-minute delays and 12-mile tailbacks in Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire after part of the road was closed overnight.

National Highways said the westbound carriageway remained shut by Junction 19 in Heywood, Rochdale, after the “serious collision”.

It said the vehicle caught fire after the crash.

Police have appealed for anyone with information or dashcam footage of the crash to come forward.

Det Con Rachael Stafford said: “At the heart of this is a man that has sadly lost his life in tragic circumstances and family and friends who are now having to come to terms with losing a loved one this morning.”

North West Motorway Police officers are carrying out investigations at the scene.

The congestion has stretched back to a junction near Huddersfield in West Yorkshire.

Motorists are urged to avoid the area.

There was no estimated time for the road to fully reopen, National Highways added.