Man fighting for life after being dragged along motorway by thief he tried to help

A man is fighting for his life in hospital after being dragged along a motorway - by someone he had pulled over to help.

The van driver had pulled over after seeing a lorry had flipped on its side on the M602 slip road near Salford.

He left his keys in the ignition and went to help, but the lorry driver jumped into his car and sped off - with the Good Samaritan still clinging onto the vehicle.

He is reportedly in a critical condition after suffering serious head injuries while being dragged along the motorway.

In a statement on the Greater Manchester Police Facebook page, an appeal read: "Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was dragged along the motorway as he tried to stop someone stealing his van.

"At around 8.30am on Sunday 1 March 2015 a lorry overturned on the Warrington-bound M602 slip road just outside Salford.

"The 28-year-old victim pulled his VW Caddy van over to the hard shoulder, thinking that he would be able to assist the driver of the lorry.

"He left his keys in the ignition as he went to help, only for the lorry driver to jump into his van and drive off, with the victim still clinging to the vehicle.

"The victim was dragged for some distance along the motorway before he fell off and sustained serious head injuries.

"The VW Caddy was driven onto the M60 towards Stockport and remains outstanding, but a 43-year-old male is in custody on suspicion of attempted murder."

Detective Sergeant Julie Connor from Salford CID said: "The injured man is in a critical condition at hospital.

"We are keen to trace anyone who witnessed this incident and to recover the stolen VW Caddy van registration number DY14 FPN."

Anyone with information is asked to call Salford CID on 0161 856 5351 quoting log number 723 on 01/03/15.

Alternatively, witnesses can call 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.