POLICE are still investigating the cause of a head on car crash in Kelbrook in which a teenager died.

The 18-year-old has still not been named by officers more than 24 hours after the smash. They are waiting for the body to be formally identified.

He died from his injuries at the scene on Colne Road after his Fiat was in collision with a Vauxhall Omega travelling in the opposite direction at 10.20pm on Thursday. His car left the road and went into a wall near the Old Stone Trough country hotel.

The 59-year-old driver of the Vauxhall was taken to hospital and treated for a fractured sternum but his injuries are said to not be serious.

Police officers refused to speculate on the cause of the crash until investigations are completed.

A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council said: "We are currently awaiting the police accident report, which will provide us with more details of the incident."

Highways bosses revealed that it was the first serious road accident since a major safety scheme was carried out on the road back in December 2000.

The £14,500 initiative came after a series of horrific crashes and involved improving signs and double white lines.

Prior to the scheme there were eight accidents in less than three years of which three involved death or serious injury and five involved slight injury.

These include the death of John Driver, of Essex Street, Barnoldswick who was killed after his car went out of control and crashed into a wall on the A56 Colne Road close to the roundabout junction with Barnoldswick Road.

There was a four-car pile up near to the Old Stone Trough Inn in 1997 and in 1996 an off-duty policeman was killed on the same road.

But after the scheme there were just five accidents all resulting in only slight injuries.

Local councillors were shocked that further tragedy had returned to the road.

Earby Parish councillor Tim Hiegh said: "I'm very sad to hear it. It's a waste of life. I think there needs to be some stress on the fact that the roads are still a dangerous place."

Coun Hiegh revealed that Pleasant View residents had raised concerns about traffic speeding past but said the road, particularly through Kelbrook, had speed restrictions enforced.

"If people behave sensibly it's a safe enough road," he added.

"Police have put effort into policing that speed limit.

"The road seemed to be relatively safe in recent years."

Pendle councillor Carol Belshaw, who represents the Foulridge ward, said the safety scheme had involved resurfacing the road and had seemed to make the road much safer.