Watch: Man speeds wrong way down the M61 motorway

A banned driver missed police by just a few feet after speeding the wrong way down the motorway - with only three wheels on his car.

Mark Atack ploughed into the central reservation of the M61 after swerving at the last second to avoid hitting officers.

He was spotted driving erratically on Chorley New Road in Horwich, Bolton, on January 16 at around 1.30am and sped away with police in pursuit.

After clipping a curb and losing a wheel, Atack, 45, joined the motorway in the wrong direction. Police footage shows the moment officers thought Atack was going to drive straight into them.

He swerved at the very last second, slamming his car into a barrier.

Atack, of Hawksley Street, Horwich, then ran off, with motorway police chasing.

A helicopter was even deployed to track him down.

He was later arrested and faced a string of charges.

Atack was uninsured and already disqualified and refused to provide a sample of breath, blood or urine.

When he appeared before magistrates in Bolton the next day, he pleaded not guilty to failure to provide a specimen; driving while disqualified; driving without insurance; and dangerous driving.

He was convicted at Bolton Crown Court and sentenced to 10 months in jail for dangerous driving, and disqualified from driving for 41 months for failing to provide a sample while in custody.

Police say Atack, who has more than 50 convictions, is lucky not to have seriously hurt himself, or others, while speeding along the motorway.

He will have to pass an extended test before he can drive legally following his lengthy ban.