THE west-bound carriageway on the M65 has been re-opened after a six-vehicle pileup.

Four people have been taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital with ‘minor injuries’ following the crash shortly before 8.30am this morning.

The emergency services were called to the scene around junction three, two miles from the Darwen Services.

Three people have been described as ‘walking wounded’ and another person has suffered chest injuries.

The incident happened in the outside lane, with police initially closing that lane to traffic and limiting the speed limit to 40mph.

Four police cars attended the incident alongside a rapid response paramedic vehicle, an ambulance and an urgent care unit.

A spokeswoman from the North West Ambulance Service said that they had now left the scene and that the patients had arrived at hospital.