Man arrested after being spotted on motorway carrying gnome that motorists mistook for 'small child'

The gnome is 'safe and well in our offices after being taken from a pedestrian'

The gnome is now sitting in the Greater Manchester Police offices (Greater Manchester Police)

A man has been arrested after he was seen walking along the M60 with a giant gnome.

It followed reports from worried motorists who thought the man had been carrying a child on the motorway and were concerned for their safety, Greater Manchester Police said.

The 26-year-old man was then arrested on suspicion of shoplifting and public order offences at junction two in Cheadle on Tuesday afternoon. He remains in custody.

Greater Manchester Police tweeted that the gnome was now “safe and well in our office after being taken from a pedestrian M60 J2”.

While some drivers mistook the gnome for a child, others were surprised at seeing a man carrying the garden figurine on the motorway:

North West Motorway Police said they had also had to deal with an incident in which a woman had decided to take her dog for a walk on the motorway on the same day.