Blackburn murder probe after woman 'deliberately' hit by car dies

Alison McBlain was seriously injured when a car mounted the pavement

A murder inquiry has begun after a woman who was hit by a car in a "dreadful" and "deliberate" act died.

Alison McBlain, 36, was struck by a car mounted the pavement on Whalley Banks, Blackburn, at about 19:45 GMT on Tuesday.

Another pedestrian, a man aged 26 from Blackburn, sustained minor injuries in the crash.

A man, 25 and from Blackburn, was detained on suspicion of attempted murder on Wednesday and is in custody.

Detectives believe the Fiat Punto, which had cloned registration plates, was driven deliberately at the pair, close to the junction with Pearson Street.

Police say the car was driven deliberately at the two pedestrians, near the junction with Pearson Street

The driver did not stop at the scene and a similar car was found on Lower Hollin Bank Street with significant damage to the front and evidence, after attempts had been made to set it alight.

Police want to speak to anyone who witnessed the collision or who saw the car, registration EX07PYA, to come forward.

They would also like to speak to anyone who has CCTV or dashcam footage from the Whalley Banks or Hollin Bridge Street area.

Det Ch Insp Lee Wilson, said: "Alison sadly passed away from her injuries today and my thoughts remain with her and her loved ones, including her young son.

"This is now a murder investigation and I have a team of detectives and staff continuing to work hard on this investigation and we continue to follow a number of different lines of inquiry."