The M53 was closed for several hours after concerns over a woman on a bridge.
Merseyside Police received a 999 call at around 5.30pm on Monday, May 29, following concerns for the safety of a woman on a bridge over the M53. Officers rushed to the motorway, between junctions four (Woodchurch) and five (Clatterbridge) and found a woman in her 20s.
The motorway was closed in both directions while police, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and North West Ambulance Service dealt with the incident. Merseyside Police confirmed the woman is now safe and well.
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Chief Inspector Phil Cowin said: “As you can appreciate, we had to close the motorway between junctions 4 and 5 very quickly so we could deal with this incident as the safety of the woman was our priority. With this, I would like to thank people for their patience who were on the motorway and waited until they could continue with their journey.”
The motorway was closed in both directions for almost four hours, with traffic queuing back for miles. People got out of their cars in an attempt to cool down as the incident was ongoing.
People were seen walking their dogs up and down the carriageway and groups of people played football on the empty section of road.
Traffic was turned around from the back of the queue in an attempt to ease traffic. The motorway was reopened at around 9pm.
One witness contacted The ECHO and said people are riding bikes and playing football on the M53 carrigeway.
The witness said: "Several games of football and children riding bikes have started by bored drivers and families on the empty closed M53 carriageway. People too hot to sit in the baking sun are entertaining themselves."
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