Police were called after a man was spotted lying on the side of a motorway embankment.
The male was seen on the slope of the southbound M61 yesterday at around 1pm between the junctions for Horwich and Bolton.
A spokesman for the North West Motorway Police said he appeared to be "sunbathing".
However, when traffic officers were sent to the scene they found he was waiting for a recovery truck after his vehicle had broken down.
In a statement on Twitter, a Highways England spokesman said: "The male was with a breakdown and awaiting recovery.
"The vehicle has now been recovered."
Police are on high alert at the moment and watching out for anyone who could be breaking the government's coronavirus lockdown rules.
With the Easter Weekend expected to be warm and sunny, people in Bolton have been urged not to travel to local beauty spots like Rivington Pike to go for walks.
