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Children among five killed in 'wrong-way' M6 crash

North Yorkshire Weather Updates Vehicles on the M6 northbound carriageway, near Tebay west services being diverted near junction 38 after the fatal crash. It is dark and the car lights are bright red and blue. North Yorkshire Weather Updates
Five people were killed in a crash on the M6 on Tuesday

Five people, including two children, have been killed in a crash on the M6 which police say may have involved a car travelling in the wrong direction.

A 42-year-old man and 33-year-old woman from Glasgow, travelling in a Toyota with two boys, aged 15 and seven, were pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of a Skoda, a 40-year-old man from Cambridgeshire, also died.

Cumbria Police said it had been called out to reports of a Skoda travelling southbound on the northbound carriageway.

The collision happened on the northbound carriageway, past Tebay services, on Tuesday at 16:04 BST.

A third child - a seven year-old boy who was also in the Toyota - was airlifted to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle by air ambulance with serious injuries.

Chris Isles The M6 lined with cars across three lanes. Black smoke can be seen rising in the distance.Chris Isles
Cumbria Police said it had been called out to reports of a car travelling in the wrong direction
A map graphic showing the M6 stretching up between Kendal and Penrith and the approximate crash location, just above a label saying "Tebay services". In the top left-hand corner there is a map of the UK, with Newcastle and London labelled. The location of the crash, in the North West of England, is highlighted in a box.
The crash happened on the M6 Northbound, north of Tebay services

Eyewitness Chris Isles said he was stuck in stationary traffic near the crash for more than three hours and could "see black smoke and flames".

The 58-year-old, from Kirkoswald near Penrith, said: "From where I was, it just seemed like a vehicle fire.

"I was parked up and I could see the smoke.

"I literally must have been two minutes behind it happening."

Mr Isles said he got out of his campervan and saw "quite a big fire" and said he felt "really shocked".

GNAAS A helicopter parked on a motorway. An ambulance is in the background with a person wearing a hi-vis jacket.GNAAS
The Great North Air Ambulance Service took a child to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle

Sheila Baxter was travelling from Milnthorpe to Lockerbie with her sister and a friend when they got caught up in traffic following the crash.

She said what happened was "a tragedy" and added: "It’s no inconvenience because when you hear what happened there isn’t really anything that inconvenienced you, but somebody’s life has been turned upside-down."

The motorway shut from J36 to J39 on Tuesday afternoon and reopened fully in the early hours.

Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service said it sent four fire engines from Penrith, Kendal and Shap and remained on the scene of the crash for several hours.

As well as the Great North Air Ambulance, North West Ambulance Service and volunteer Beep Doctors were also in attendance.

Police are appealing for eyewitnesses and anyone with information to come forward.

Additional reporting by Luke Jarmyn and PA Media.

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