M6 delays: Motorway closed after '27 suspected migrants found in stopped lorry' near Stoke-on-Trent

Motorists are facing long queues on the M6
PA
Katy Clifton9 January 2019

A lorry driver is being questioned after 27 suspected migrants were found in the back of his vehicle on the M6.

The motorway was closed between junctions 15 and 16 and caused long delays, including for Burton Albion fans travelling to their Carabao Cup match with Manchester City.

Staffordshire Police said: "Officers from Staffordshire Police have stopped a vehicle on the M6 between Junctions 15 and 16 this evening and a number of people have exited the back of the vehicle.

"A man has been arrested at the scene and is currently in police custody.

"Colleagues from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service and West Midlands Ambulance Service are also in attendance."

Pictures on the M6 show long tailbacks after the motorway was closed and motorists reported hearing a police helicopter above.

A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said officers are "assessing the welfare of the people who exited the vehicle" and will liaise with Immigration Enforcement.

He added: "The southbound carriageway is now open and the northbound carriageway remains closed for the time being. We recognise the disruption this is causing to road users and we thank everyone for their co-operation."

Football fans took to Twitter while stuck in the queue on the way to the Carabao Cup match to plead for the game to be postponed.

In response, a Staffordshire Police spokesman said: "We are aware of the traffic issues causing delays for Burton Albion FC fans heading to Man City.

"We are liaising with Club and Match Officials over the kick off, at this time it remains a 7.45pm kick off.

"However should further delays occur this will be reviewed @BrewersTV #BAFC."

Stopped traffic on the M6 as both carriageways were closed between junctions 15 and 16
PA

Danny Ellis, who was a few hundred yards from the incident, said he saw 30 to 40 police cars pass him on the northbound side of the motorway and said three or four lorries were stopped and searched.

"We could only see the lorries being chased down and stopped but we couldn't see people running away," he told the Press Association.

"We were told for safety to get back in our cars and lock them. We were told a lot of people escaped and ran from the back of these lorries."

The 30-year-old, who works in the telecoms industry, said he could see men being treated by ambulance medics on the floor.

He was driving to the football with a friend when both carriageways of the motorway were closed between junctions 15 and 16, near Stoke-on-Trent on Wednesday afternoon.

"We've been stuck here still for three hours and we've been told 10pm," he said at around 8pm.

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