A fire which closed the M6 motorway for a number of hours has caused significant damage to a huge crane.
Emergency services were called to the M6 northbound carriageway near to Middleshaw at 7.30am this morning.
Police and firefighters closed the motorway in both directions as huge plumes of smoke left motorists unable to see and parts of the Ainscough mobile crane scattered across the carriageway.
Both the northbound and southbound carriageways were closed between Junction 36 and Junction 39 while the fire was extinguished.
At around 10.42am the southbound carriageway reopened but the northbound carriageway remained closed from Junction 36 until around 12.30pm when two lanes reopened.
The third lane will remain closed throughout the day until it can be resurfaced tonight.
Motorists travelling north will need to leave the motorway at J36 and be diverted through Kendal and onto the A6 to join the motorway at junction 39.
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