Couple tell of 'horrifying' moment boy cycled on to motorway
Family photographA couple have spoken of their "relief" after helping to save a 10-year-old boy who took a wrong turn on his bicycle and ended up on a motorway hard shoulder heading towards oncoming traffic.
Laura Pilling was driving home with Lauren Campbell after a trip to the Lake District when they saw a young boy cycling on the M61 at about 17:30 BST on Sunday.
"It was horrifying," said Laura. "It was really busy traffic and he was going the wrong way."
She pulled over and Lauren, 32, instinctively ran down the hard shoulder but was unable to catch him while Laura called emergency services - who managed to get him to safety a short time later.
'I didn't think about my own life'
Laura, 30, said: "Lauren pulled over and jumped over a barrier and ran down the hard shoulder trying to catch him and shouting at him to stop but he didn't hear her, probably with all the noise of the traffic."
Lauren said she ran after the youngster "without thinking" about the dangers.
"I didn't think about my own life," she said, adding she just ran to help the youngster who she described as looking scared.
However, Lauren said she couldn't keep up with him.
Meanwhile Laura, who is a paramedic, called emergency services directing them to the Horwich Link Interchange at junction 6 of the motorway in Bolton.
"We were panicking as it was so dangerous," Laura said. "It was busy and cars were driving past him."
The couple from Wigan were "so relieved" when a police officer told them the boy had been rescued and was safe.
Laura said: "We were just glad that the police acted as quick as they did and there was a happy ending."
She added the family were "so proud" of Lauren's brave actions.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said officers had been called to reports of a "young boy" who had cycled on to the motorway.
They added: "A swift response led to the boy being met by officers and taken home safely."
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