'Drink driver' arrested after crashing into petrol station at Charnock Richard Services

The crash happened just before midnight when a car ploughed into a tanker filling point at the fuel station between southbound junctions 27 and 28.

Whilst emergency services rushed to the scene, the driver fled on foot over nearby fields, according to a tweet by Lancashire Police.

Officers gave chase and the driver was detained and arrested. The suspect remains in custody at Preston Police Station.

The petrol station at Charnock Richard Services has been closed overnight whilst fire crews made the scene safe.

A fire service spokesman said: "We attended an incident at Charnock Richard Services at around 11.55pm after a call from Lancashire Police.

"We sent one fire engine from Bamber Bridge and there was one from Manchester there too.

"On arrival they found a car had collided with a tanker filling point.

"Crews assisted in making the scene safe and isolating the pumps. They were there for around 30 minutes."

In a tweet at 1.20am, a spokesperson for the force said: "We are currently dealing with an incident at the Charnock Richard Services on the M6 Southbound.

"The filling station at Charnock Richard Services is being closed for the next few hours.

"We will provide an update once it is reopen. Thank you for your patience."

Shortly before 6am, the force said a suspected "drink driver almost wiped out the fuel station south bound on the M6 at Charnock Richard services, then ran off".

Following a "foot chase over fields", an arrest was made, said the police tweet.

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