A haul of dangerous weapons which included knives, axes, machetes and a scythe were seized from a van which police pulled over a motorway.

Officers stopped the van on the M61 near to Botany Bay.

The van had first been spotted on the Whitehills Industrial Estate in Blackpool at 8.30pm on Tuesday night.

It was later seen travelling east on the M55 and then joining the M6 and then the M61.

Police brought the van to a stop at 8.52pm at junction 8 of the M61.

Four men aged 36, 32, 24 and 23, from Greater Manchester, were arrested on suspicion of possession of offensive weapons and are now in custody.

Inspector Rob Conolly-Perch of the Tactical Operations Unit, said: “We will not accept those attempting to bring harm into Lancashire and will target them tirelessly.”