A prosecution witness in a murder trial has told a jury that a Fiat Punto 'speeded up and speeded up' before hitting him and killing his friend.

Christian Rivers, 27, took to the stand at Preston Crown Court on Wednesday as the Alison McBlain murder trial entered day three.

Ms McBlain 36, was walking with Mr Rivers in King Street, Blackburn, on November 19 2019, when they were hit by the car, which was driven at them in a revenge attack over some stolen drugs.

Mr Rivers survived the collision but Ms McBlain died in hospital two days later.

Following extensive police investigations, six people were charged with her murder and the attempted murder of Mr Rivers.

Joshua Titterington, 26, of Scotland Bank Terrace, Blackburn; Dean Tarim Qayum, 20, of Patterdale Avenue, Blackburn; a 16-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons; Kaylib Connolly, 18, of Ivy Street, Blackburn; Karis Poynton, 27, of Whalley Road; and Jon Paul Chatwood, 25, of Walsh Street, Blackburn, deny murdering Ms McBlain and attempting to murder Mr Rivers.

Updates from Alison McBlain murder trial as Christian Rivers expected to give evidence

Giving evidence during the trial, Mr Rivers, a known drug user, was asked a series of questions by prosecuting barrister, Timothy Cray QC, telling the court he used a drug line called the 'Bully' line for around two weeks before Alison's death, and found out about the line through other drug users.

He also told the jury he knew the line was operated in part by defendants Connolly, Qayum and Chatwood and had been to 'tax' drugs from them on Monday November 18 because he 'had no money'.

He said: "We had run out of drugs on that day. We were after more.

"We were having a conversation about how we were going to get more drugs.

"Alison said to ring the Bully line.

"I said I would do what I needed to do to get the drugs after that.

"Alison made the call from a phone box to get the drugs.

"Once he handed them over I pretended I left the money somewhere and couldn't pay him right now and would have to come back in five minutes.

"I went back to my uncle's and Alison went with me."

Alison McBlain was murdered over stolen drugs, say prosecution

On Monday, the court heard how following the drugs 'taxing', the operators of the Bully line had made attempts to find Mr Rivers in order to 'hurt him' in revenge for stealing the drugs - around £100 worth of crack cocaine and heroin. 

Mr Rivers was asked questions about the following evening, November 19, the night of Alison's death.

Mr Cray QC said: "Tell us about seeing the Punto on Stonyhurst Road."

Mr Rivers replied: "I went to a friend's house while Alison was in the chemist, as I wanted to stay off the streets as I was wanted by them for something else.

"But he wasn't in so I said to Alison we would have to go back to my uncle's.

"Then I saw the Punto on the road and saw around three or four people in the car and I just thought they were going to get out and try and beat me up, because I stole the drugs.

"I said to Alison, 'that's that car from last night and it's full of people'.

"And I stopped and I saw the car and it turned its lights off and I said 'I think something's going to happen here'.

"I paused and stopped for a second and tried to work out what I was going to do.

"I was on drugs and it impairs your judgement so I said 'eff it, we'll deal with it'.

"So we started to cross the road and the car started to come towards us.

"I guided Alison on to the pavement and stood looking towards the car as if to say, come on, I can see you coming.

"I was thinking so many things, like this car could hit me, it could stop and they could get out.

"But there wasn't much time to think.

"It was speeding up and speeding up and the lights were off and I realised it wasn't going to stop and all I could do was jump in the air to try and decrease the impact.

"It hit me first. Nothing happened to me. It knocked me onto the pavement.

"Subconsciously in my head, when the car hit me I heard two bangs, but I didn't see that Alison was stood behind me.

"I could see it was Connolly driving but I didn't know his name, I just knew him as the guy from the night before.

"When I managed to get back to my feet I just saw the car carry on.

"It didn't stop, it just carried on."

Mr Rivers told the jury he couldn't see Alison at first but then noticed she was lying about 13m away on the floor and looked 'really badly hurt' and was lying with a pool of blood around her head. 

As he was wanted by police for an unrelated offence, he explained how he left the scene but asked a passer-by to call an ambulance as he thought Alison was dead. 

The trial continues.