BLACK ice caused severe traffic hold-ups early on Wednesday morning when the A56 Haslingden bypass was closed southbound.

The carriageway was re-opened at 7.30am but not before heavy traffic was reported in the Baxenden area.

Sergeant Pete Sculpher, from the road policing unit, said the closure was a precautionary measure following two minor accidents overnight.

He said: "The A56 had been closed overnight due to icy conditions. There were two relatively minor accidents where vehicles had skidded on black ice."

He reiterated warnings about plunging overnight temperatures refreezing thawed ice and snow.

"We are in a position now where during the day we are getting wet roads and at night it is freezing back again," he said.