Motorists trying to get away for the half-term holiday faced long delays on the M6 after a series of problems on the mid-Staffordshire section.

Queues quickly built up on surrounding roads as drivers tried to avoid the motorway congestion on Saturday.

All three lanes on the M6 were closed between Junction 13 at Stafford and Junction 14 for Stone while emergency services worked at the scene after three cars collided on the northbound carriageway at 11.15am. The driver of a Jaguar who was trapped inside his vehicle had to be freed by firefighters. After a while one lane was opened to allow traffic to filter through until the debris was cleared.

Earlier, just before 10am, a car crashed into the verge, closing the hard shoulder, on the same stretch of carriageway. More problems were caused when a car engine caught fire at 12.22pm, also between J13 and J14, and a vehicle broke down just after 1.30pm between the Stone turn-off and Junction 15 for Stoke-on-Trent.

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