Motorway horror as young man is run over 'by several vehicles'

He is understood to have been from the Newcastle area and was with members of his family shortly before he was struck at about 1am. The family were last night helping police with their inquiries.

Police said several vehicles - believed to be three or four - had stopped at the scene, all of which appear to have struck the man. One of these drivers had to be taken to Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary 20 miles away for treatment for shock.

Police believe the man was also struck by several other vehicles, whose drivers were unaware of what they had hit and continued without stopping.

They closed the southbound carriageway of the motorway, where the incident happened, until around 3pm.

The northbound carriageway was also closed later for several hours for investigation work. Traffic was diverted on to a parallel route.

Police are trying to establish why the man walked on to the motorway at the service area at junction 16, between Beattock and Lockerbie.

Bad weather was reported at the time of the incident, with fog and drizzle on many parts of the motorway.

One police officer said: "It was horrific and something I hope I never have to attend again."

A lorry driver said: "At that time of night and in the conditions, you don't have much chance if you are walking on the motorway. We haven't heard whether he was trying to cross or just walking along."

Police appealed for information from witnesses.

A spokesman for Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary said: "It is believed a male pedestrian was struck on the southbound carriageway by a number of vehicles and as a result was killed.

"Police attending found a number of vehicles had stopped at the scene, all of which appear to have struck the man.

"It is also thought that a number of other vehicles may also have struck the man, and the drivers may well be unaware that they had done so and as such did not stop. One driver was taken to Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary suffering from shock.

"At this stage, the dead man is believed to be from the Newcastle area, although formal identification is not possible at this time.

"Family members who had been in the company of the dead man before the incident are currently helping police piece together his last movements prior to the crash."

The spokesman added: "Police want to hear from anyone who may have been using the A74(M) motorway or been within the area of Johnstonebridge services around this time to get in touch by calling 0845 600 5701 if they saw anything that might help with inquiries into this tragic event."

The southbound carriageway of the motorway was closed between junctions 15 and 17 for some 13 hours, while the northbound carriageway was shut between junctions 16 and 17 between 3:15am and about 9am while investigations took place.

The Scottish Government's Transport Scotland agency, which runs the Traffic Scotland information service for trunk routes, said traffic had been flowing freely through the diversions and there had been no delays.