Shocking video shows moment car loses control on M61 and skids backwards down icy motorway

Footage of a car losing control on an icy motorway before slamming into a motorway barrier has been released by the Highways Agency as a warning to drivers to take care on the roads.

The red Nissan Micra can be seen skidding backwards at speed into the central reservation along a stretch of the M61 in Lancashire.

The car then collides into a Highways England vehicle, narrowly missing traffic officer Nigel Gorton who had been dealing with a different incident.

No one was seriously injured in the collision.

The collision happened in March 2019, but the footage was released to remind drivers to take care on the roads due to the Met Office issuing a yellow weather warning for snow and ice.

County Councillor Keith Iddon, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "We've been experiencing wintry showers for the past few days, but I'd ask people to pay particular attention to the weather warning for tonight as it could affect their journeys tomorrow morning.

"Higher areas of the county are most likely to be affected, and where necessary our gritting teams will be doing a night shift and continuing to treat the main routes throughout the early hours.

"However, it's important to remember that roads can remain icy even after they've been gritted, and the wintry showers could lead to more difficult conditions on untreated surfaces.

"I'd ask everyone to take care, leave extra time for their journeys in the morning, and drive according to the conditions which can change quite significantly throughout the course of a journey."

The warning covers most of the county and is in force from 10pm today (February 26) until 10am tomorrow (February 27).

The forecast is for as much as 5cm of snow on the highest routes, with icy surfaces widespread.

A spokesperson for the Met Office said: "Wintry showers are expected to continue through Wednesday night into Thursday morning, especially over Northern Ireland and western Scotland, before developing more widely across parts of northern England, the north Midlands and north Wales later in the night.

"This will leave surfaces wet, leading to icy stretches developing on untreated surfaces.

"Showers will fall as a mixture of hail, sleet and snow. Some places are likely to see 1-3cm of snow, mainly above 100m, with 5-10cm possible above 400m."

The Met office has warned that roads and railways are likely to be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services

Some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces are also likely, and there may be some icy patches on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.

The county council's gritting teams will be out in force again, treating routes across the county, with crews being retained to patrol and monitor higher routes which are most likely to be affected by snow.

Lancashire County Council has a fleet of 45 frontline gritters which can treat the 1,500 miles of the county council's priority road network within around four hours, but may take longer in severe conditions.