A LORRY fire has closed the southbound lanes of the M61.

UPDATE: This closure has now been removed and all lanes are running

The M61 southbound between J8, near Chorley, and J6, near Horwich, was closed in the early hours of this morning after an HGV caught fire just after 4am.

The lorry was well alight and had pulled up on the hard shoulder when three fire crews arrived.

Traffic was halted in both directions at 5am today (January 28) and Highways England, Lancashire and Manchester fire crews and police are on the scene.

Northbound traffic was released at 5.30am however traffic is still halted in southbound lanes.

One casualty was assesed at the scene.

A spokesperson for Highways England said: "The M61 between J8 and J6 near Chorley has been closed southbound due to a lorry fire. 

"Emergency services including Lancashire Police are in attendance. Highways England has resources deployed to assist.

"Fire services continue to work at the scene to ensure the fire is extinguished and incident clean up works are complete."

A spokesperson for Lancashire fire service said: "At 04:16 two fire engines from Chorley and one from Horwich attended a large vehicle fire on the M61 southbound between junction 8 and size.

"A lorry on the hard shoulder was well alight and firefighters used two breathing apparatus, one hose reel and an environmental grab pack to extinguish the fire.

"One casualty was assessed by firefighters. Crews were at the scene for just over an hour."

Southbound traffic is being diverted via the hollow square symbol.

Leave the M61 southbound at Junction 8.

At the roundabout follow the A674 westbound.

At the A674/A6 roundabout continue along the A6 southbound.

At the A6/A6027 roundabout follow the A6027 eastbound.

At the A6027/M61 roundabout rejoin the M61 southbound.