A 50-year-old man has sustained “severe facial injuries” and breaks to a wrist and leg after his motorbike crashed on the M65.

Emergency services were called at 11.20am to the eastbound carriageway just before junction eight at Accrington.

Police say that the man is from the Blackburn area and was riding a BMW motorbike. No other vehicle was involved.

He is currently being treated at the Royal Blackburn Hospital.

Highways Agency officers shut the main carriageway for an hour and a half while paramedics tended to the man and accident investigation took place, although traffic was able to pass along the hard shoulder.

Sergeant Patrick Worden from the force Road Policing Unit said: "I would appeal for any witnesses to the collision to contact Lancashire Police on 0845 125 3545 quoting incident log 825."