A MAN hit by a police car as he crossed a road has died.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is set to formally investigate the events leading up to the death of the 50-year-old man, named locally as Jimmy Lee.

Mr Lee died at Royal Blackburn Hospital this afternoon after being hit by a BMW X5 in Bolton Road, Blackburn, at around midnight on Sunday.

People have taken to social media to pay their condolences to Mr Lee’s family.

Melissa Buck-MacFarlane posted on Facebook: “Thinking of the Lee family today. I’ve got lots of funny memories of Jimmy over the years and he really was a character. He’ll be sorely missed around town. RIP”

Mandy J Morris wrote on Facebook: “Fly free Jimmy Lee, another gone too soon, a true character with a heart of gold. RIP x”

A police spokesman: “A man involved in a collision with a police vehicle in Blackburn has sadly died.

“The man, 50, from Blackburn, suffered serious injuries following the collision which happened just after midnight on Monday.

“He died at Royal Blackburn Hospital today.

“The matter has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.”

An IPCC spokesman said: “”The incident was referred to us by Lancashire Constabulary. We deployed investigators to the scene.

“We have assessed the incident and we have decided we want an independent investigation.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, quoting log number 0001 of today (August 7th).