South Ribble police issue M6 warning over killer craze

The potentially killer craze has prompted police and their partners to talk to young people about the consequences of such mindless actions.

South Ribble Police are visiting schools near the motorway as part of a programme to educate pupils about the dangers associated with the motorway – such as dropping items on to the road from bridges.

South Ribble Police said Leyland’s motorway network has been highlighted by Highways England as a hotspot for incidents involving items being dropped on to the carriageway.

Sergeant Mark Douglas, of Leyland police, said getting the message across was important.

“It is, particularly when you’re looking at the potential for fatality or serious injury on the motorway network,” he said.

“Lancashire has one of the busiest stretches of motorway, with the M6, in the country.

“A lot of traffic regularly travels at 70mph and a lot of young people don’t realise the dangers of dangling or throwing something off bridges. Someone could be killed.”

As part of the programme, PC Dan Wood, from the South Ribble Neighbourhood Police Team, together with officers from Highways England and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, visited Lancaster Lane Community Primary School, Clayton-le-Woods.

A spokesman for Highways England said: “Recently our traffic officers have teamed up with Lancashire Police at South Ribble to talk to school children about how to be safe around motorways, and the risks of playing on or around motorways.”

John Taylor, of Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “As yet we’ve not seen any such incidents, but we are aware that such things do happen.”