Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The majority of the chickens died from the impact of the crash but some were hit by cars

More than 1,000 chickens were killed when the lorry transporting them crashed into a safety barrier on the M62 in Greater Manchester.

The lorry was carrying 6,800 chickens when it crashed on the eastbound carriageway between junctions 11 and 12 at about 04:00 BST.

About 1,500 birds were killed, North West Motorway police said.

The majority of the chickens died from the impact of the crash but some were hit by cars, police added.

The driver of the lorry was uninjured.

Chickens 'rounded up'

Michael Clarke, from the Highways Agency, said about 2,000 chickens "escaped on to the carriageway" and had to be recaptured.

"We drafted in as much manpower as we could from across the north west, and we had help from the police, the emergency services and the RSPCA," he said.

He said the incident was "unusual" in terms of the sheer number of birds involved.

"The more adventurous ones did manage to go quite far - I would suspect there are a handful still in adjacent fields," he added.

The agency is assessing damage caused to safety barriers.

Diversions were put in place around the exit for Birchwood and the Eccles Interchange with the M60.