POLICE have issued an update on the state of the M6 motorway near Carlisle as the emergency services continue to deal with two incidents.

All three lanes northbound and two lanes of the southbound carriageway are closed between junctions 41 (Carlisle South) and 42 (Wigton).

However, traffic officers began to allow some traffic to filter past the scene of the northbound collision - using the hard shoulder - at about 12.05pm.

Officers have warned that the backlog will take some time to clear though, and diversions will remain in place until the wagon is removed.

The road is not expected to reopen until 3.30pm at the earliest, police confirmed at 1.30pm.

The incidents both happened just north of Southwaite Services.

Officers were called shortly after 9am to reports that a HGV had collided with the central reservation and shed its load on both carriageways.

The driver of the vehicle - understood to be a Scania lorry - was not injured.

Only one lane of the southbound carriageway is open and delays are to be expected for some time while recovery is underway, say police.

<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en-gb"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Long tailbacks on the M6 northbound one mile before junction 42 Carlisle south. <a href="https://twitter.com/newsandstar">@newsandstar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CumbriaNewsPics">@CumbriaNewsPics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CumbriaTravel">@CumbriaTravel</a> <a href="https://t.co/6DbopZqAb9">pic.twitter.com/6DbopZqAb9</a></p>— Stuart Walker (@StuWalkerPhotos) <a href="https://twitter.com/StuWalkerPhotos/status/910811341698498560">21 September 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

A diversion is in place northbound with traffic leaving the M6 at junction 41, following the A6 and rejoining the M6 at junction 42.

A second incident - a van pulling a trailer which jackknifed when braking - has also happened on the northbound carriageway, near to the HGV crash.

A police spokeswoman said: "Emergency services are at both scenes and are starting to turn traffic around at the rear of the tailback, drivers are urged not to turn around until instructed by police officers to do so.

"Motorists are asked to avoid the area and use the diversions."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">M6 nb closed from 41 due to ab load incident. Working to release trapped traffic. Please stay with your vehicles. <a href="https://twitter.com/Cumbriapolice">@Cumbriapolice</a> <a href="https://t.co/G0JUgqV9L9">pic.twitter.com/G0JUgqV9L9</a></p>— Cumbria Roads Police (@CumbriaRoadsPol) <a href="https://twitter.com/CumbriaRoadsPol/status/910801948546408448">September 21, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>