Two boys, 17 and 16, seriously injured in motorway as police hunt lorry driver

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after the collision between junctions 32 and 33 on Sunday night

Zahra Khaliq News Reporter, Laura Hill and Jon Macpherson 13:21, 16 Feb 2026Updated 13:21, 16 Feb 2026

The incident has sparked traffic on the M6(Image: trafficcameras.uk)

Two teenage boys have been left seriously injured following a collision on a major UK motorway, with police[1] currently searching for a lorry driver who fled the scene.

Police were called to the M6 in Lancashire late Sunday evening after reports of a green Nissan Micra colliding with the central reservation barrier and coming to a halt in the third lane.

A silver Toyota Celica subsequently hit the Micra before a HGV crashed into into the Toyota.

Lancashire Police reported that the lorry did not stop at the scene of the crash, which occurred on the northbound carriageway between J32 and J33. Efforts are now underway to locate the lorry driver.

Emergency services including police, paramedics, fire crews and National Highways officers arrived at the scene at 11:16pm on Sunday. The driver of the Micra, a 17-year-old boy, and his passenger, a 16-year-old boy both sustained serious injuries and were transported to hospital for treatment where they remain.

Both lanes of the carriageway were shut overnight and reopened shortly before 11am, leaving motorists facing two miles of traffic congestion, reports Lancashire Live[2].

Sgt Bex Price of our Road Policing Unit stated: "First and foremost my thoughts are with the two boys and their families as they receive treatment in hospital.

They have suffered some significant injuries as a result of this collision, and enquiries into what led to the collision are ongoing.

"I know the motorway was closed for a significant amount of time, and I want to take the time to thank anyone who had their journey disrupted or delayed. I know a change to your route can be frustrating, but we really appreciate your patience whilst our officers and emergency service colleagues responded to the report and carried out our initial enquiries.

"Our investigation is very much in its early stages, and we have a number of enquiries ongoing at this time. However, we are also asking for your help.

"We believe the collision also involved a HGV, and whilst offline enquiries are ongoing to trace it, we are appealing to anyone who has information or footage that could help us locate it.

If you have dashcam footage of the collision itself, or of any of the vehicles in the lead up to the collision, between J32-J33 Northbound, between 11:10pm and 11:20pm, please get in touch with us, and let us know.

"If you have any information that could assist us, please call 101 quoting log 1242 of February 15."

References

1. ^ police (www.nottinghampost.com)
2. ^ reports Lancashire Live (www.lancs.live)