AN 18-year-old student was killed after she walked on to the M65 and was hit by a van.

Police were yesterday trying to establish what Lena Begum, from Higher Reedley, was doing on the eastbound carriageway near Burnley.

She was hit by a white Mercedes van just before 4am yesterday, near the Rosegrove Lane bridge between junctions 9 and 10.

The driver of the van, a 48-year-old man from Burnley, was treated for shock.

According to the Facebook profile belonging to the teenager, who used the name Lena Sheikh, she was a business student at Bradford College, but previously attended Burnley College.

About 12 hours before the incident she posted this message to the website: “I just wana say a big thank you ta all my true mate that have been there for me && my family, love ya loads.. Only thing that I would want from ya is ta remember me ya du'as please more than anything else...”

Tributes have been paid to the teenager on social networking website Twitter, with one former schoolmate posting: ‘R.I.P Lena Sheikh...Gone too soon...Unbelievable’.

The incident caused traffic chaos for rush hour commuters across East Lancashire yesterday morning, with the eastbound carriage closed for three hours for police to carry out investigations.

There were long tailbacks with vehicles diverted via the A679 at junction 9. There were also delays on the A56 and A6068 as drivers changed their route to try to avoid the jams.

Sergeant Tracey Ward said: “Although it was in the early hours of the morning, there may have been people driving on the motorway who may have witnessed what happened or spotted the woman.

“I would appeal for those people to come forward and get in touch. An investigation is underway to establish exactly what happened and why the woman was on the motorway.

“Her family have been informed and specially trained family liaison officers are supporting them through this terrible ordeal.”

Meanwhile, Burnley councillors have raised concerns over how she was able to get on to the carriageway. Fencing was erected around that section, including Rosegrove Lane, after 15-year-old Harrison Hartley was killed playing ‘chicken’ on the motorway in 2007.

Coun Marcus Johnstone said: “I was on the westbound carriageway and drove past the accident scene on my way to work. I’m sure it’s caused major disruption but our thoughts have to be with this woman’s family and friends.

“This is a tragic incident and it’s something we need to look at, to see if extra fencing needs to go up to make sure it never happens again. If anything can be done to stop this happening then it must be done.”

Fellow councillor Charlie Briggs, who lives in nearby Rosegrove, said: “We’ve had an incident a few years ago and Lancashire County Council and the railway had some mesh put up all along the side.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.

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