M18 closure Rotherham: Police explain why motorway was closed for over three hours between M1 and J1

Emergency services were called to the M18 shortly before 8pm last night, between junction one, Rotherham, and the M1, following what they described at the time as ‘a police-led incident’.

Today officers have explained they had to take the action.

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said today: “We were called at about 7.55pm yesterday (Wednesday, June 28) by a member of the public to report a concern for the safety of a man on a bridge over the M18. Officers attended and the scene was closed for about three-and-a-half hours – reopening at about 11.35pm. The man was taken to hospital to receive appropriate medical care.”

Some motorists had tweeted about having been stuck in stationary traffic on the motorway for several hours while emergency serices worked at the scene.