Driver ‘could have been killed’ after object smashed through windscreen on M56

WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Jake Gray is appealing for witnesses to come forward after the terrifying incident

08:35, 05 Jun 2025Updated 10:25, 05 Jun 2025

Thornaby welder Jake Gray was injured in an incident on the M56 on Thursday May 29 at 6.15am

Jake Gray was injured in an incident on the M56(Image: Jake Gray)

A man has said he could have been killed after an unknown object shot through his windscreen on the M56 and sliced down the side of his head. Jake Gray was travelling to Warrington [1] when the nightmare incident happened, leaving him with a gash across his head and a fractured skull.

The 31-year-old, who is a welder by trade, left his home in Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, at 4.30am on what would have been his day off. He was in the the third lane of the carriageway [2] when the incident took place.

Jake is now appealing for potential witnesses to come forward as he urges steps to be taken to ensure similar accidents don't happen to others.

The item has not been found but Cheshire Police has said inquiries remain ongoing, Teesside Live reports.[3]

Jake said: "Something must have come across over the barrier as there was nothing directly in front of me. It's slice straight through the windscreen,[6] glass shattered in my face and it's gone out the rear window.

"I don't know how but managed to pull over safely and that's when I called 999. It all happened in the blink of an eye. I screamed in panic.[7] I noticed when I looked in the mirror that I had a big gash in the side of my face, past above my ear."

$Jake required numerous stitches to the side of his head and suffered a fracture to his skull$ Jake required numerous stitches to the side of his head and also suffered a fracture to his skullArticle continues below

Jake said the incident happened at around 6.15am and he waited at the side of the road holding his jumper to the side of his head to apply pressure waiting for emergency services to arrive.

He said: "It must have hit a main vein right above my ear. I was just trying to apply pressure. It could have been a different story.

I could easily have been decapitated.

"When the first police officer got here, he had a first aid kit and we were just trying to stop the bleeding - it was just relentless.

"I think it's got to me some sort of metal material to do that damage. It's a clean slice through the window. The rear headrest was ripped out but there's no other debris in my car."

Jake was taken to hospital and needed multiple stitches to the gash on his head and a CT scan revealed a fracture to his skull and a possible air pocket..

Having stayed the night under observation, he was able to travel back home to Teesside with his mum the following day.

Jake, whose VW Golf is in the garage, is now appealing for any witnesses to come forward and has asked anyone who may have dashcam footage from the M56 on Thursday morning of last week (May 29) to come forward.

After posting on Facebook [10] about the incident, Jake says a number of people have reached out about possible sources of the object. He's also received dash-cam footage of a wagon pulled over on the opposite carriageway where the driver appears to be securing the load around the time of the incident.

The object smashed through the back window of his car

He says two vehicles - a white van and a black Mercedes - appear to be parked up in the hard shoulder in front of a red wagon. Jake is appealing for the drivers to come forward.

"I want to get to the bottom of it to prevent this from happening to someone else," said Jake, who says he "can't thank the brilliant hospital staff enough."

Jake says it's unclear as to whether the debris has come from the central reservation although it's more likely that it's come off another vehicle travelling down the opposite carriageway.

"I don't want any sympathy, I just want to get to the bottom of it and make people aware so steps can be taken to prevent this from happening again," said Jake as he urges wagon drivers to ensure their load is secure and calls for the central reservation to be cleaned. "We pay our taxes for the carriageways to be kept in good order and we need to make sure they're kept clear."

A spokesperson for Cheshire Police said: "At around 6.15am on Thursday 29 May, police received reports of a road traffic incident on the M56 between junction 10 and 11.

The caller reported an unknown object had hit his vehicle, smashing the windscreen and causing an injury to his head.

Welder Jake Gray was injured in an incident on the M56 on Thursday, May 29 at 6.15am(Image: Jake Gray)

"He was taken to hospital and later discharged. Enquiries are currently ongoing."

A spokesman National Highways said: "Our thoughts are with Mr Gray after this incident. While it would be inappropriate to comment on the details of this specific incident due the police investigation, National Highways has rigorous motorways inspection, reactive and routine maintenance regimes to tackle defects and remove debris.

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"In urgent cases we can and do close lanes or a carriageway to remove debris including after collisions or in cases where items have fallen from vehicles.

The next planned 'sweep' of this section of the M56 is at the end of the month.

Anyone spotting hazardous debris can report it to us, when they can do so safely, by calling our 24-7 customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000."

References

^ Warrington (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
^ the third lane of the carriageway (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
^ Teesside Live reports. (www.gazettelive.co.uk)
^ Image released after teenage girls spot man 'taking photos' of them (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
^ Visit to his garage left man bloodied and with lasting phobia (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
^ the windscreen, (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
^ I screamed in panic. (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
^ Bruce Springsteen won't back down as he issues challenge to Liverpool crowd (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
^ Leanne Campbell hosts final breakfast show as fans say 'radio won't be the same' (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
^ Facebook (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
^ New plans revealed for old Royal Hospital site as demolition nearly complete (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
^ Restaurant fined GBP180,000 for illegal workers (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)