Coach evacuated and motorway closed after ‘man seen pouring liquid into smoking bag’

The M6 toll road near Lichfield was closed in both directions after allegations were made against one of the 48 passengers on board the Megabus coach from Preston to London this morning, the coach firm said.

Staffordshire Police said there was an ongoing incident at Weeford, near Lichfield, but could provide no further details. They were called at 8.20am.

A spokeswoman for Megabus, which is operated by Stagecoach, said: “We are assisting police with their inquiries into an allegation made against a passenger who was travelling on board one of our services.”

Reports suggested a man was seen pouring liquid into a smoking bag on board the coach.

Armed police officers could be seen positioned next to the single-decker coach on the south-bound carriageway, as passengers were led off the vehicle one by one.

A number of emergency service vehicles were parked at the toll plaza, about 200 metres from the coach.

Seven police vans arrived at the scene shortly before 11am.

It is understood the coach, which was heading south on the M6 toll road when it stopped, pulled over on to the hard shoulder of the motorway of its own volition.

The road has been closed in both directions between junctions three and four, the Highways Agency said.

The incident is not thought to be linked to this morning’s arrests of six people in London as part of a pre-planned counter terrorism operation.

A spokeswoman for Staffordshire Police said: “There is currently an ongoing incident on the M6 toll at Weeford, near Lichfield.

“Both lanes of the toll road have been closed while police deal with the incident.”

Several people, including at least one young boy, were seen sitting on the motorway in a cordoned-off square, several hundred metres from where the coach stopped.

Police surrounded the cordoned-off area, which spread across one lane of the toll road. Police dogs and their handlers were also seen walking nearby.

Several other cordoned off areas could also be seen, along with what appeared to be bright yellow tents on the other side of the toll plaza.

Eyewitness Nick Jones, who was stopped on the motorway for more than an hour and a half, told BBC News that police warned him to stay in his car, keep his windows closed and not to use air conditioning.

“I was beginning to feel a little uneasy,” he said.

“I was beginning to look around for an escape route.”

Military personnel were at the scene with a truck marked Royal Logistic Corps Bomb Disposal.

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Defence said: “The Ministry of Defence is providing assistance to the police at their request under routine military procedure.”

Police were searching the coach passengers one by one.

Traffic information company INRIX said traffic avoiding the M6 toll closure were using the M6 proper and being caught in delays of up to two and a half hours on the southbound carriageway because of an accident around junction 7 at Great Barr, north of Birmingham.

Two lanes were closed because of the accident, with delays as far back as junction 13 south of Stafford.

Drivers wanting to avoid the M6 queues were advised to take either the A449 and travel through Wolverhampton to rejoin the M6 south of junction 7, or use the A34 and head south from Stafford.