The M62 was closed in both directions today at Heywood, near Rochdale, due to a ‘police incident’ which caused long queues in both directions.

The Highways Agency said that the motorway had reopened at around 3pm.

Hundreds of motorists have been caught up in the congestion and the Rochdale v Oldham rugby league derby kick-off had to be delayed as players and officials got caught in the traffic.

A lot of Salford rugby fans making their way to West Yorkshire for the Wakefield game also got stuck in traffic.

Police put in diversions for both carriageways.

Our traffic partner INRIX suggested the incident may have involved a person on a bridge, saying: “The person involved in this incident has crossed the right side of the bridge. Trapped traffic is now flowing again.”