Tragedy on M6 as man who ‘fell from bridge’ dies after being hit by HGV

A man who 'fell from a bridge on the M6 near Wigan [1] has died after being struck by an HGV, police have confirmed. The tragic incident which saw all traffic stopped [2] between junction 27 at Standish and junction 28 at Leyland took place this morning (November 7). Officers were called to the northbound carriageway of the M6 near Wrightington at 10.55am following reports a man had fallen from a motorway bridge and been struck by a Scania HGV.

The man was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arriving. The man's death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner in due course, Lancashire Police have said. His family have been aware of the tragic news.

The motorway was closed in both directions for several hours to allow for investigation work to be carried out but has since been re-opened. Drivers were reported to have faced queues of an hour on the northbound side of the M6, approaching the scene. Lancashire Police are now appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage of the incident.

T/Sgt Martin Wilcock, from the Road Policing Unit, said: "This is a tragic incident which has resulted in a man losing his life and my thoughts are with all those impacted by it." Anyone with information is asked to email [email protected] or call 101, quoting 386 of November 7, 2023.

Helplines and websites

Samaritans (116 123) samaritans.org operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you're feeling, or if you're worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at [email protected][5] , write to Freepost RSRB-KKBY-CYJK, PO Box 9090, STIRLING, FK8 2SA and visit www.samaritans.org/branches to find your nearest branch.

For support for people feeling suicidal, if you are concerned about someone or if you are bereaved by suicide see http://shiningalightonsuicide.org.uk [6] CALM (0800 58 58 58) thecalmzone.net has a helpline is for men who are down or have hit a wall for any reason, who need to talk or find information and support. They're open 5pm to midnight, 365 days a year.

Greater Manchester Bereavement Service Greater Manchester Bereavement Service can help to find support for anyone in Greater Manchester that has been bereaved or affected by a death. No one needs to feel alone as they deal with their grief. www.greater-manchester-bereavement-service.org.uk [7] Childline (0800 1111 ) runs a helpline for children and young people in the UK.

Calls are free and the number won't show up on your phone bill. PAPYRUS (0800 068 41 41) is a voluntary organisation supporting teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal. Beat Eating Disorders: Beat provides helplines for adults and young people offering support and information about eating disorders.

These helplines are free to call from all phones. Adult Helpline: 0808 801 0677, Studentline: 0808 801 0811, Youthline: 0808 801 0711. www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk [8] Anorexia & Bulimia Care: ABC provide on-going care, emotional support and practical guidance for anyone affected by eating disorders, those struggling personally and parents, families and friends.

Helpline: 03000 11 12 13. www.anorexiabulimiacare.org.uk/[9] Students Against Depression is a website for students who are depressed, have a low mood or are having suicidal thoughts. Bullying UK is a website for both children and adults affected by bullying studentsagainstdepression.org [10]

For information and links to charities and organisations that can help with substance abuse, visit https://www.supportline.org.uk/problems/drugs/[11]

References

^ Wigan (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
^ all traffic stopped (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
^ Teenager left with some of worst burns doctors have ever seen (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
^ Today's top Manchester Evening News stories (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
^ [email protected] (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
^ http://shiningalightonsuicide.org.uk (t.co)
^ www.greater-manchester-bereavement-service.org.uk (www.greater-manchester-bereavement-service.org.uk)
^ www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk (www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk)
^ www.anorexiabulimiacare.org.uk/ (www.anorexiabulimiacare.org.uk)
^ studentsagainstdepression.org (www.google.com)
^ https://www.supportline.org.uk/problems/drugs/ (www.supportline.org.uk)