A6 Rothwell-Desborough bypass closed after cars crash on icy road

Motorists are having to use alternative routes as the road has been shut in both directions between the Fallow Road roundabout at Rothwell and Braybrooke Road in Desborough.

Residents said the road was left ‘like an ice rink’ after water pouring on to the road surface from an embankment had frozen.

A spokeswoman for Northants Police said: “The closure relates to a series of collisions in the area due to ice on the road.

“The A6 road has been closed at the A14 so it road can be gritted and made safe. It happened this morning at about 6.55am.”

It is not believed that anyone has sustained any serious injuries.

The main road is a designated gritted route overseen by North Northants Council, using contractors Keir.

Their policy states that ‘salting will take place whenever there is a potential hazard with forecast temperature of +0.5c or below’.

A spokeswoman for North Northants Council said: “The route was gritted last night as a precautionary measure and then it was followed up with an additional spot gritting (gritting at the specific location) overnight, following reports.

"It looks like a burst water main which has been reported to Anglian Water.”