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A pensioner has caused chaos on a Lancashire motorway after driving down the wrong side of the M65 for 15 miles – and past seven junctions.
Martha Harwood drove at 40mph on her way home from a friend’s house. The 81-year old grandmother, puzzled by a new road layout, had driven up the exit slip road of junction six.
Four people required hospital treatment as the oncoming traffic swerved to avoid Mrs Harwood’s Suzuki Ignis. One person had to be cut free after the car they were in struck the crash barrier.
The motorway was shut for five hours as Police halted the retired florist’s car, and cleared up the aftermath.
Mrs Harwood was not arrested, but it seems likely that she will have her driving licence revoked following her mistake.
She said: 'At first I didn’t think there was anything wrong, then I saw cars coming towards me. It was quite scary, but there was nowhere to turn round so I just kept going.'
The Police admitted that it was fortunate that no serious injuries had resulted from the incident.
Nic Cackett
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