M5 traffic pawsed for an hour as on-the-loose dog gives police the run around
An escaped dog gave police the run around and caused drivers huge delays while it darted around the M5 this morning.
Police stopped traffic on the motorway while officers attempted to apprehend the pooch, leaving drivers stranded and causing major tailbacks in both directions near West Bromwich.
Images and videos posted on social media showed traffic cops running along the hard shoulder as the dog - believed to be an Alsation - ran in between gridlocked vehicles between junctions 1 and 2.
Luckily lorry driver Peter Wright, from Ludlow, came to the rescue when he spotted the carefree canine near his parked-up truck between junctions 1 and 2.
"As I got on the motorway they had put the traffic officers there and signs up saying that there were animals on the loose," he explained.
"I was expecting it to be horses or something like that but then I spotted this dog running around my lorry.
"I got out and managed to find this blue lead in my lorry and tied it around his neck.
"He was quite a big dog and similar to an Alsatian and I managed to stand with him by the side of the motorway until the patrol van arrived.
"He was very friendly but a little tired from running up and down I think."
Highways England tweeted throughout the incident, which began at around 10.30am and saw traffic stopped for around an hour.
They said: "Great news! Dog has been safely caught, preparations are being made to release the traffic #M5, both ways J2 + J1. Long delays.
"The dog's ok, we've given him some fuss and he's safely off the network."
