Car 'drove wrong way on M6' before head-on smash killed five, including two kids

A car was driving the wrong way along a motorway before ploughing into another vehicle in a horror crash that killed five people, including two children, it has emerged.

Two vehicles - a Skoda and Toyota - were involved in the head-on smash on the M6 northbound, near Tebay services in Cumbria, at about 4.05pm on Tuesday (October 15).

Police investigating the crash have now revealed that they received 'multiple reports' that the Skoda had been travelling southbound on the northbound carriageway.

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Officers were en route when further calls reported that the car had been involved in a head on collision with the Toyota, a police spokesman said. Police previously said the driver of the Skoda, a man from Cambridgeshire, died instantly.

A man, 42, woman, 33, and two boys, seven and 15, that were in the Toyota were also pronounced deceased at the scene. A third boy, also seven, was rushed to hospital where he was today fighting for his life.

All the people in the Toyota are from Glasgow, police said. The force has not confirmed if they were all from the same family.

In an update issued this afternoon, Cumbria Police said: "Formal identification of those involved has not yet taken place. The families of those involved are being supported by specially trained officers.

"Officers would like to thank members of the public that assisted at the scene and those affected by the collision for their patience.

"We would also like to thank those that have already been in touch who witnessed or have dashcam of the incident, we continue the appeal to anyone with information or with dashcam to contacts us."