THREE people were taken to hospital following an horrific accident on the M60 this morning.

Thousands of motorists were caught in heavy tailbacks with jams stretching into Lancashire and Cheshire following the rush-hour smash shortly after 7am at junction 15 near Worsley.

The Manchester orbital motorway, one of the main motorway interchanges, was down to one lane clockwise after a HGV articulated lorry was in collision with a standing crane on the hard shoulder. It is believed a Rover Metro then went into the back of the lorry.

Wreckage littered the carriageway and the lorry cab was crushed.

A fleet of fire engines and ambulances were at the scene. Police said they expected the chaos to last for several hours while heavy lifting gear was brought in to remove the wreckage.