A MOTORIST cheated death by seconds in a four-vehicle collision on the M66 at Bury.

The northbound carriageway was closed at the Heap Bridge junction for most of Monday afternoon, causing traffic delays along Rochdale Road, Wash Lane and in Bury town centre.

The BMW driver, who has not been identified, had a lucky escape when, travelling behind two lorries in the direction of Ramsbottom, he feared he would be sandwiched by a wagon approaching from behind.

He managed to manoeuvre his vehicle from the path of the wagon before it slammed into the back of a double-trailer HGV, which then collided with a truck.

The wagon driver had to be cut free from the wreckage of his cab by firefighters and was taken to Fairfield General Hospital for treatment to leg injuries.

His vehicle had been carrying non-toxic chemicals which leaked on to the carriageway. The drivers of the first two lorries both escaped unscathed, as did the owner of the BMW.

A police officer at the scene said: "The driver of the BMW is lucky to be alive. If he hadn't moved his car when he did he would have taken the brunt of the impact."

The first two lorries and the BMW were believed to have been slowing down as they approached roadworks near junction two on the M66 when the accident happened at 1.20pm.