A COUNCILLOR has claimed that the stretch of road where an elderly motorist was killed is unlit and dangerous.

Elizabeth Jephson, 79, was killed in a head-on collision on the A671 Accrington Road in Whalley on Wednesday.

Mrs Jephson, from Barrow, was pronounced dead at the scene after her Rover 25 collided with a Mercedes CDI shortly before 5.30pm.

A third car, a Volvo S40, collided with the Mercedes soon after the initial crash.

Coun Joyce Holgate said the stretch of road where the incident happened, near the Spring Wood picnic site, is dangerous.

Lancashire County Council, the authority responsible for road lighting, admitted that the stretch of road is unlit but stretches either side are and there were no current plans to install more lighting.

Coun Holgate, who represents Whalley on Ribble Valley Council, said: "It's a badly lit road. I've had a number of complaints from residents about it.

"It's not lit from the traffic lights junction to the top of Accrington Road at the roundabout, it's really dark and should be attended to.

"It's an issue that should be addressed, and I'll be raising it as such in the light of this tragedy.

"I knew Mrs Jephson quite well as she attended Whalley Parish Church regularly. She was a very kind and popular person."

Burnley-born Mrs Jephson's friend and neighbour at Green Park Court off Whiteacre Lane, Myra Clegg, said she was reluctant to drive her car following the incident.

Mrs Clegg, who paid tribute to her friend Betty as a "very kind and gentle person", said: "I use that road regularly and I admit to feeling worried about driving there now after this terrible, terrible accident.

"Betty was a good confident driver, it's awful to think of this happening to her."

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: "All accidents of this nature are investigated by the police and they will inform us of the circumstances once they have compiled their report.

"The A671 has lighting from the roundabout at the junction with the A59 to just beyond the junction with Wiswell Lane and again from just before Spring Wood onwards. There are no plans to install any additional lighting at the moment."

"We are unable to comment on the circumstances of the accident but we would look at the police's findings and it is possible that we could look at lighting in the future."

The Mercedes driver and passenger, and the driver of the Volvo, escaped with only minor injuries from the crash, which led to the A671 being closed for over four hours while police investigated.

Police are still appealing for witnesses who saw the accident, or the cars involved before the collision, to call Sergeant Pete Sculpher at the Eastern Division's Road Policing Unit on 01254 51212.