Police have closed the A56 northbound carriageway after a crash between a car and a tanker lorry.

At around 11.55am today (June 15), police were called to the scene of a crash on the A56 northbound carriageway between Rising Bridge and Burnley Road near Slate Pits Farm.

Traffic updates website, INRIX, reports heavy congestion in the area.

Motorists are being advised to avoid the area while police deal with the incident.

Driver, Bill Jacobs said: "It's absolutely stationary and has been for an hour. Also very hot."

A spokesperson for the police said: "We were called at 11.54am today to a report of a road traffic collision on the A56 at Haslingden.

"Emergency services attended and a car and a tanker lorry were found to have been in collision on the northbound carriageway.

"The driver of the car was taken to hospital with minor injuries. The northbound carriage is currently closed to allow vehicle recovery.

"One lane of the southbound carriageway is closed."

A post shared on Lancashire Police Facebook states: “Officers on scene and dealing with a road traffic collision on A56 northbound carriageway between Rising Bridge and Burnley Road near Slate Pits Farm.

“Both carriageways are currently closed and will remain so for some time.

“Please plan your route accordingly to avoid the area.”

In an update, issued at around 3pm, police said the northbound carriageway between Rising Bridge and Huncoat will remain closed until further notice.

They said: "There will be a 200 metre closure of lane two on the southbound carriageway until later tonight.

"Please continue to plan your route accordingly. Many thanks."