Teenage pedestrian killed in M23 accident Published duration 18 July 2010

A 15-year-old boy has died after being hit by several vehicles, including an unmarked police car and an ambulance, on the M23 in West Sussex.

Police said the teenage pedestrian, from Burgess Hill, was initially hit by a car between junction 10 and 10a at Crawley at 0150 BST on Sunday.

He was then struck by several other vehicles travelling on the motorway.

The police car was not responding to an incident. The ambulance was taking a patient to hospital.

'Offer support'

"This is an extremely tragic event and our sympathy is with the family and friends of the young man," Sussex Police said in a statement.

"Family liaison officers are with them to offer support as they try to come to terms with their loss.

"The identity of the victim is not available at this time while all family members are informed."

It is believed the teenager had been attending a family function before the accident.

No arrests have been made and the incident has been referred as part of standard procedure to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

The IPCC said in a statement that it would consider the case on Monday, but on the information presently available it was not believed any IPCC investigation would be required.

Ambulance transfer

Police said the teenager was hit by a black Nissan Note.

South East Coast Ambulance Service said the ambulance was carrying a patient with a non-life threatening illness.

The patient was transferred to another ambulance called to the scene and taken to hospital.

The motorway was closed in both directions until about 1000 BST.

The northbound carriageway reopened first, followed later by the southbound. Traffic was diverted via Crawley.