SPECIALIST police officers helped address concerns about the welfare of a man in the middle of the night.

Blackburn Road in Astley Bridge was shut between Waters Meeting Road and Halliwell Road between 4am and 5.15am as the incident unfolded at the budget bed-and-breakfast Tramways Hotel.

The Bolton News: Tweet about the police's closure of Blackburn RoadTweet about the police's closure of Blackburn Road

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "We were called at 2.50am to a property on Blackburn Road to reports to a 'concern for welfare' of a man.

"Specialist officers attended. The man is safe.

"We put some road closures in place."

No arrests were made and the police did not wish to provide further detail.

A spokeswoman for North West Ambulance Service said: "We were called at 3am and we sent an ambulance to the scene.

"It was a person in distress and we took the patient to Royal Bolton Hospital."