A MAN has died and another is in serious condition following a horror road smash last night.

Emergency services were called to the crash between a Volkswagen Golf and a silver Vauxhall Vectra in Burnley Road East near Clough Bottom Reservoir, Water, Rossendale, at about 10pm on Friday.

Police said the driver of the Golf, a 54-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene and taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital.

The driver of the other car, a 48-year-old man, had to be cut free from his car by fire crews and was taken to Royal Preston Hospital where he remains in a critical condition.

The road was closed following the incident and reopened at around 4am this morning.

Police have launched a witness appeal as part of their investigation into the cause of the collision.

Division response inspector Ilyas Mohmed said: "We were called to a collision last night in Burnley where one man was sadly killed.

"We are looking into the circumstances to try and establish what has gone on."

Sergeant Andy Walton from the road policing unit said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man killed in this collision.

"An investigation into what happened is now underway.

“I would appeal to anyone who saw the collision or either of the two cars shortly before it, to come forward with any information they feel might help our investigation.”

The collision happened on a stretch of road where a man had to be airlifted to hospital last October after crash between motorbike and van.

The area where the smash happened is quite remote, with sawdust, a police witness appeal sign and a small amount of broken glass, being the only clues that such a serious crash happened just last night.

A resident of the village of Water, which is around a mile away from where the incident took place said cars are known to speed down the road.

He said: "I heard the sirens last night but didn't realise it was so serious.

"We don't usually get accidents on this bit of road, they usually happen further up where it's narrower.

"People do drive really fast down here though, they really fly down."

Anyone with information can contact Lancashire Police on 101 quoting LC-20171110-1661.

Alternatively Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.