A man has been arrested after a woman and a 14-year-old boy died in a multi-vehicle motorway collision.

The crash, between junctions three and four of the M58 near Wigan, involved an HGV, a minibus and a number of other vehicles, at about 9am on Tuesday.

The driver of the HGV, a 31-year-old-man from Chorley, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, Lancashire police said. A number of other people also sustained serious injuries and were being treated in hospital.

A second crash happened shortly after the first and involved an HGV, a van and a car. A woman and two men sustained serious injuries.

Images from the scene showed a lorry carrying scaffolding material and several bent and twisted cars. Other images showed a white van had left the motorway and crashed into a nearby field.

Lancashire police said: “We are working closely with partner agencies and the motorway remains closed in both directions for accident investigations. Diversions are in place. Our thoughts are with all of those affected by today’s tragic incidents.

Helen Green Purnell, 48, a pharmacy assistant from Skelmersdale who saw the aftermath of the crash, said: “All I can tell you is I saw the cars slowing down, and as I got there, there was a white van that had fallen down in to the ditch. It looked very serious. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.”