Lancashire Police were first called at around 10.20pm on Monday (August 10) following a report raising concerns for the welfare of a woman on the M55 near Broughton interchange
A woman’s body has tragically been discovered on the hard shoulder of the M55 motorway.
Lancashire Police were initially contacted at approximately 10.20pm on Monday (August 10) after receiving a report expressing concerns for a woman’s welfare. Around 10 minutes afterwards, at roughly 10.30pm, officers received a second call from a driver heading towards Blackpool on the M55.
The motorist reported spotting what they suspected was a body on the hard shoulder. Police rushed to the scene between junctions 1 and 2, close to the Broughton interchange, where they tragically discovered the woman’s body.
Authorities confirmed that investigations are currently underway into the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death. The motorway remained shut for approximately five hours while emergency services handled the incident.
In a statement, the force said: “We were called at 10.20pm yesterday (Aug 10th) to a report of a concern for welfare of a woman.
“Ten minutes later at 10.30pm we received another call after a motorist driving towards Blackpool on the M55 reported seeing what they believed was a body on the hard shoulder of the motorway.”, reports Lancs Live.
“Officers attended the scene, between junctions 1 and 2 near to the Broughton interchange, where very sadly we can confirm they found the body of a woman. Enquiries are ongoing into the circumstances.
“The motorway was closed for around five hours.”
Meanwhile, firefighters are beginning a third day of tackling a fire in the New Forest which they say they are “managing to contain” after working “tirelessly” through the night.
Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, assisted by neighbouring services, initially scrambled 26 fire engines and four water carriers to the eastbound A31 after receiving 160 emergency calls reporting a van had caught fire on Sunday evening.
The fire service said the blaze spread from the vehicle to the central reservation before progressing into nearby heathland in a south-easterly direction towards Backley Bottom, and is in a “challenging rural location”.
An update released on Tuesday by the fire service said that a change in wind direction had “provided a challenge” overnight but it was managing to prevent “spread and escalation” with the help of a police drone to prioritise hotspots and flare-ups.
A total of seven fire engines with water carriers and off-road vehicles were involved in the operation overnight which continued to use water being pumped through miles of pipes laid from a nearby lake as part of a high volume pump (HVP) system.
And the A31 – the main route through the New Forest – remains closed, with National Highways saying that repairs needed to “significant” damage to the road surface, safety barriers and boundary fencing can only start once the fire is safely under control.
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