Drivers on a busy stretch of the M56 faced traffic chaos this morning after a car caught fire with queues building quickly building on the busy motorway.

Two lanes were closed westbound in Cheshire from junction 6 for Hale Road to junction 7 for Bowdon, according to traffic alert service Inrix. Motorway camera footage showed emergency services at the scene, with two fire engines in attendance. The resulting heavy traffic sparked severe delays for motorists in the area. A spokesperson for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “Crews were called to a car well alight on the M56 west, with all persons safely out of the vehicle. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used a hose reel jet to extinguish the fire, which is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault.” All lanes have now re-opened with traffic conditions returning to normal. 

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