A PEDESTRIAN suffered serious injuries after being hit by a car in the fast lane of the M65 this morning.

The eastbound carriageway was closed for more than three hours between junction seven at Accrington and junction eight at Huncoat/Hapton for accident investigations.

The incident was reported to police around 7.10am.

The 60-year-old man from the Accrington area suffered fractures and severe bruising and was last night in a stable condition in the Royal Blackburn Hospital.

Force incident manager Insp Grant Smith said the man’s injuries were ‘serious, but not life-threatening’.

He said: “We received reports of a male pedestrian hit by a car in lane three.

“He has been taken to hospital. The female driver tried to avoid him, but couldn't. She’s quite distressed.”

The woman driver involved was uninjured. No arrests have been made.

Police believe the man was hit by a Mazda Demio, but they are also investigating whether a second car was involved.

Officers were also interviewing witnesses to try and find out why the man was on the carriageway.

They have ruled out that he jumped from a motorway bridge.

Anyone with any information, call police on 0845 1 253545.