Drivers have been warned after apparently having been seen “playing football” on the motorway while police dealt with an incident.

Officers were called to the M61 between junction 5 at the Hunger Hill Interchange, and junction 6 at the Horwich interchange at around 10.35pm on Monday.

Both carriages were stopped between the two junctions but as they dealt with the incident, officers reported seeing people behaving dangerously.

A North West Motorway Police statement on Monday evening said: “Patrols are advising that there are people playing football on the hard shoulder and walking about the carriageway.

“We still have emergency vehicles making to this scene, someone is going to get hurt.”

Officers appealed for patience as they went about their work and said that the area had been cleared by around 12.40am in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The stretch of motorway is an important way through between Horwich and Westhoughton and if often well used by heavy traffic.

As yet no further details have been released about the original incident that officers had been called out to on Monday evening.

Members of the public have been advised to always call 999 in the event of an emergency.