SEVERE gales are causing huge traffic delays as all major roads are gridlocked.

All four lanes of the Runcorn Widnes bridge are now open but traffic is still exceptionally busy throughout the area. Thelwall Viaduct (M6) Northbound has just re-opened to traffic. The southbound will have to remain closed while LGVs which overturned are recovered and removed. We now have two lanes of the M6 open between Junctions 32 and 33 where there was an accident on the northbound carriageway earlier today. The M56 Weaver Viaduct has also just re-opened in both directions. .

A Cheshire police spokesman, said: "We have been inundated with weather related issues. We are appealing to people not to ring us unless it is life threatening."

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