AN 84-year-old driver died after it is believed he turned into the path of a Land Rover in an outside lane.

The pensioner, from the Ribble Valley, was killed on the A56 near Huncoat yesterday in the crash in his Mazda.

He was pronounced dead at the scene on the southbound carriageway near the junction with Sandy Lane at 10.15am.

The Land Rover driver was treated at the scene for minor injuries.

The incident caused major delays to traffic as both sides of the dual carriageway were closed for three hours.

Sergeant Peter Sculpher said: "The early indication is that the driver of the Mazda pulled out on to the A56 from a farm track and joined lane one of the southbound carriageway.

"As he did so the Land Rover moved in to lane two.

"Traffic in lane one appears to have slowed and the driver of the Mazda turned right across the two lanes and was struck by the Land Rover.

"There were significant delays as a result of the incident."

This is the latest collision on the A56 to claim the life of an East Lancs man.

A bus driver from Revidge Road, Blackburn died in September last year.

Russell Horne, 64, died at the wheel of his X40 service bus from Manchester to Nelson when it was in collision with an articulated lorry near to Edenfield.

Anybody with information should contact road policing unit at Accrington on 01254 353767.