A WOMAN was taken to hospital with serious multiple injuries after being hit by a lorry on the M61 this morning.
The northbound side of the motorway was closed between junctions six for Horwich and eight for Chorley at around 7.15am.
The woman, 38 and from Middleton, was struck by a 23 tonne Scania HGV in the first lane, just ahead of the exit slip road for Chorley.
The police have confirmed that she suffered a broken jaw, broken cheekbone, broken arm and bruising to her lungs.
She was due to undergo surgery this afternoon, and according to a police spokesperson, her condition was not thought to be life-threatening.
Drivers were diverted from junction six of the motorway, at Westhoughton, onto the A6.
The motorway was closed for around two and a half hours, until 9.50am, causing severe tailbacks in the Chorley area.
Police are investigating how the woman, a pedestrian, came to be on the motorway, and appealed for witnesses to call 101.
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