THE M6 was closed after a crash this morning.

Traffic was halted on the southbound carriageway near to junction 20 at Lymm after the accident at around 7am.

While the route fully reopened shortly before 8.15am, delays of up to an hour were reported with queues tailing nine miles back to junction 23 at Haydock.

Congestion has also been heavy near to Winwick Link Road as a result of motorists seeking alternative routes.

It understood that no parties suffered injuries as a result of the collision, although the North West Ambulance Service attended as a precaution.

A Cheshire Police spokesman said: "Shortly before 7am on Wednesday, August 4, police were called to a collision involving two cars - a grey Ford Focus and a BMW - on the M6 between junction 20 to junction 21 in Warrington."