Greater manchester police airport pursuit

A police pursuit led to a serious crash at Manchester Airport on May 5, 2026, causing significant disruption for early morning travelers. The incident occurred close to Terminal 2 when the driver of a stolen Audi A3 was involved in a high-speed chase.

The collision resulted in the closure of the upper forecourt drop-off zone at Terminal 2 for three hours. This closure affected numerous passengers as they arrived for early flights.

The driver involved in the pursuit suffered serious injuries and required hospitalization. Authorities reported that he was moving to overtake a line of vehicles at around 80 mph when the crash occurred.

Manchester Airport is the UK’s third-busiest airport, accommodating over 32 million passengers last year. The impact of this incident was felt widely, with many travelers delayed due to the road traffic collision.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police confirmed, “Following a police pursuit, a road traffic collision occurred close to Terminal 2 at Manchester Airport.” Meanwhile, a representative from Manchester Airport stated, “Please be aware: due to a road traffic collision, the upper forecourt of Terminal 2 is closed until further notice.”

This incident ties into ongoing legal proceedings involving Mark Burrows, who is accused of causing the death by dangerous driving of Heather Smedley during another incident involving a stolen vehicle.

Burrows commented on the situation, saying, “I believed she’d seen me, and I believed she was adhering to the highway code, yielding to me and allowing me to pass.” He added, “I wouldn’t. Up until the last second, I believed I had compliance from all the vehicles I was overtaking.” His trial is expected to shed more light on these events.