MOTORISTS faced traffic chaos while police dealt with an incident on the main route through Bolton.

A police spokesperson said officers were called to reports a woman was on the wrong side of a bridge near Moses Gate just before 2.25pm.

She was led to safety just before 4pm and the road reopened about half an hour later.

The A666 was closed in both directions while officers dealt with the situation.

Cars were directed down Manchester Road as drivers faced lengthy tailbacks while police attempt to resolve developing incident.

Anthony Bonney was travelling from Moses Gate to Bolton town centre by bus at about 2.40pm.

His journey was slightly delayed but he noticed traffic building heavily in the southbound carriageway, towards Farnworth and Kearsley.

The 23-year-old saw police activity from his vantage point on the bus.

“There were police cars there blocking the entrance, so it must have been been happening on the bridge over the A666,” he said.

They shut the bottom of Green Lane towards Moses Gate. Traffic coming down Green Lane on to Manchester Road had to divert left instead of right. 

“They closed both carriageways and pulled traffic off to go towards Moses Gate instead of going through.”

He continued: “It was definitely worse heading in the direction of Kearsley and Farnworth. Traffic on Manchester Road was going all the way down to Burnden Park.”

Frustrated motorists contacted The Bolton News to say they were stuck in congestion while the incidents was ongoing.

Michelle Kipling said she was sitting in heavy traffic just 300 metres from the bridge.

And Toby Hart said police allowed traffic to use the slip road heading towards Moses Gate. But added: “Both ways were closed and you could see traffic backed up towards the M60.”