Drivers 'gobsmacked' as sleeping lorry driver delays police on the M62

A member of the West Yorkshire Police Roads Policing Unit tweeted that he had been on his way to an emergency incident this afternoon when he came across a vehicle blocking the hard shoulder.

On further inspection, the officer said, it was discovered that the driver of the lorry had decided to take a nap on the side of the motorway - while his fellow drivers queued in traffic beside him.

Pictured by the side of heavy traffic on the motorway, understood to be the result of the earlier crash between Normanton and Rothwell, the lorry can be seen parked in the hard shoulder.

The officer had been attempting to reach stranded motorists who had broken down in the aftermath of the incident when he discovered the vehicle.

Known as Traffic Dave, he said: "Imagine you need the emergency services on the #M62. Somethings gone wrong and you need help.... We can't get to you as this driver closed his curtains and had nap on the hard shoulder."

The incident angered some Twitter users. One woman tweeted: "Cant believe someone would do that!! Not only is it incredibly ignorant but also dangerous!

"What if someone swerved into him whilst he was sleeping?? I'm gobsmacked!"