ROAD safety campaigners have raised “deep concerns” after two “thoughtless” children diced with death by running across the lanes of West Yorkshire’s busiest motorway.

Traffic had to be held on the M62 on Monday night and a section of the motorway shut off to vehicles after two children were spotted on the road.

Motorists had to be held in both directions at Junction 27 for Gildersome and Junction 28 for Tingley after Highways England staff spotted the two youths sitting on a crash barrier underneath a bridge by the side of the motorway shortly before 8pm on Monday.

A tweet posted by Highways England just after 8pm said staff in its control room “witnessed them running over all the lanes in front of traffic”.

Around 15 minutes later, Highways England tweeted to say traffic had been released on the motorway after the youths had left the side of the highway.

It said: “Years ago your mum used to tell you ‘go play on the motorway’.

“It was never a wise saying. We hope kids stay on the real playground.”

Highways England is now investigating how the youths got onto the motorway.

Kevin Clinton, head of road safety for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: “This was very stupid and dangerous behaviour.

“It was only thanks to the actions of the drivers on the motorway, Highways England and the police that no one was seriously injured or killed by this thoughtless behaviour.”

A spokesperson for Brake - the road safety charity said: “These pictures are deeply concerning and it is gratifying that Highways England acted so swiftly to ensure that no one was hurt.

“Making children aware of the dangers of roads is crucial to road safety and that’s why Brake works with communities and schools across the country to inspire, inform and engage young people.

“Today Brake has coordinated for more than 100,000 children from across the UK to take to their streets to raise awareness of the 39 children who are killed or injured on roads in England every day.”

It is against the law for pedestrians to be on any part of the motorway network, including slip roads and roundabouts unless in an emergency, and any pedestrian caught walking on the motorway can be arrested and fined £30, but is also putting themselves in serious danger of injury or death.

The chances of a pedestrian surviving being in a collision with a vehicle travelling at 70mph - the national speed limit on the UK’s motorways - are next to none.