M6 terror alert: Coach passenger seen 'pouring liquid into smoking bag'

A MAJOR terror alert shut the M6 Toll today, with armed police surrounding a coach after a passenger was allegedly spotted pouring liquid into a smoking bag.

At least 10 fire engines, police cars and several ambulances were sent to the motorway in one of the biggest terrorism operations the region has ever witnessed.

Passengers were led off the vehicle after it was pulled over at Weeford near Lichfield, between junctions T3 and T4.

The coach was operated by low-cost travel operator Megabus, which said the vehicle was pulled over after an "allegation against a passenger."

Police searched the coach, which was carrying 48 passengers from Preston to London, and the entire Toll road was closed after the driver raised the alarm.

Passengers were sat down in lines on the carriageway as they were quizzed by specialist officers.

Bomb disposal experts were also called. A member of the military was seen alongside a worker in a blue forensic suit who boarded the bus this afternoon.

Yellow inflatable tents of the kinds used in decontamination procedures were erected at the scene and groups of firefighters waited by their engines.

The operation caused chaos on the M6 after drivers were stopped from using the Toll road from 8.30am.

Queues stretched for 16 miles, exacerbated by an accident between Junction 8 for the M5 and 7 for Great Barr between a car and a lorry at 8.45am.

Staffordshire Police this afternoon refused to reveal details of the investigation, only confirming officers had been dealing with an "ongoing incident" since 8am.

But they did say it was not linked to the arrest of six people in London today in a pre-planned counter terrorism operation.

Five men and a woman were arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism as part of a probe into a possible terror plot involving Islamist extremists with potential targets in the UK.

Megabus spokeswoman Lindsay Reid said: "We are assisting police with their inquiries into an allegation made against a passenger who was travelling on the 5.10am Preston to London service which was due to arrive at Victoria Coach Station in London at 10.55am. There were 48 people booked to travel on board the service."

Motorist Nick Jones was among those caught up in the incident.

"The radio was saying it was a chemical spillage – but with the amount of police, ambulances and fire engines there I knew it was something more significant."

He said he got out of his car to try to find out what was going on and was told by police to get back inside the vehicle.