A WOMAN believed to have been run over by several cars after collapsing in the road, is in a critical condition in hospital.

Police were called to the junction of Walton Lane and Leeds Road, Nelson, in the early hours of Sunday where they found a woman in the road, with serious injuries to the top half of her body, including a broken collar bone and broken ribs.

The 40-year-old, from Colne, is in the intensive care unit at Burnley General Hospital.

Police have ruled out a possible assault and believe she may have been run over by several cars without the motorists realising she was there after collapsing in the road.

DS Dave Flemming, of Nelson CID, said: "We are appealing for anyone who was in that area and who may have seen this woman in the road, or any drivers who think they may have run over something in the road, which they did not know was a person, to come forward."

The woman was last sighted getting into a red taxi at the rank near the Union pub in Colne at about 1.30am.

DS Flemming urged the taxi driver to come forward to help with inquiries. He is described as Asian, aged about 25, thin and wearing a light blue jacket with white piping.

He was instructed to take the woman to Burnley Road, in Colne.

Anyone with information is asked to ring DS Flemming 01282 425001.