Fuel protest bikers jam M62

Hundreds of bikers have caused rush-hour disruption on the M62 north of Manchester in a protest against rising fuel prices.

They gathered at Birch services before heading off in a slow-moving convoy including taxi and lorry drivers.

Rolling roadblocks by the Highways Agency led to long tailbacks and jams on many roads in and around Manchester.

Police stopped traffic on the motorway before the bikers left the service station, bound for Salford.

The Highways Agency warned motorists to find alternative routes if possible.

It was the latest in a long line of fuel protests and came as some Labour backbenchers joined a chorus of voices warning Prime Minister Gordon Brown not to go ahead with a planned 2p increase in fuel duty this autumn.

AA figures show around half of every £1.15 litre of petrol is made up of tax and VAT.

Revving their engines, they set off en masse at 8am from the service station and on to the motorway.