M5 motorway closed in both directions after body found

‘Significant disruption’ expected as police investigation begins

The M5 motorway has been closed in both directions after a person was found dead on the carriageway.

Police officers closed the motorway between junction 11A at Brockworth and junction 12 at Quedgeley in the early hours of Wednesday.

“Officers attended the scene, on the southbound carriageway around a mile north of Gloucester Services, and have closed both sides of the motorway while the body is recovered and a serious incident investigation takes place,” a spokesperson for Gloucestershire Constabulary said.

The police were called shortly before 4.10am, after the body was found on the carriageway.

The closure of a 10-mile stretch of the M5 is likely to cause extensive travel disruption.

It left drivers scrambling to find alternative routes to the Midlands and South West on Wednesday morning.

A police spokesperson said the “significant” disruption was “likely to last for a number of hours while police continue [to] work at the scene and establish the circumstances”.

“Officers will be at the scene for some hours to recover the body,” Gloucestershire Constabulary added on Twitter.

Detectives have opened a serious incident investigation and diversions have been put in place on the motorway.

Anyone with information should call the police on 101 and quote incident 34 of 30 October.

Additional reporting by agencies