Two people have been arrested on suspicion of causing the death of a schoolgirl in a hit-and-run collision on a motorway.

Sana Patel, 12, from Blackburn, was a passenger in a Nissan Qashqai that was involved in a collision with a Vauxhall Corsa at around 10.45pm on Saturday on the M61 in Lancashire.



Police said five other people in the Nissan suffered minor injuries, and the people in the Vauxhall Corsa fled the scene on foot.

A 23-year-old woman from Mirfield, Yorkshire, and a 28-year-old man from Dewsbury, Yorkshire, were arrested on Sunday on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. The man was also held on suspicion of failing to stop at the scene of an accident. The car is registered to an address in West Yorkshire.

The crash happened on the northbound carriageway between junction eight for Chorley and Bolton West/Rivington services.

The M61 was closed in both directions between junctions six and eight while collision investigators attended the scene, and reopened on Sunday at around 9am.

Det Supt Andy Cribbin, of Lancashire police, said: “First and foremost our thoughts are with the family and friends of the girl, Sana. There are no words to describe what they will be going through and we send them our deepest condolences at this incredibly difficult time.

“They are currently being supported by specialist officers. We have now made one arrest but are very much still trying to establish what happened.”

Another girl died in a hit-and-run incident on Sunday. Robyn Fryar, 15, died after being hit by a car speeding on the wrong side of the road in Paisley, Renfrewshire.

