A WOMAN has died after being hit by a bus in a "horrific" accident at Accrington's town centre bus station.

Eyewitnesses said a red and cream Pilkington's double decker bus collided with the woman, 61-year-old Joyce Rigby from Accrington, as she crossed the street at the Blackburn Road entrance, just after 2.30pm yesterday.

"Everybody was screaming," said Tonya Clemance, 25, of Frederick Street, Oswaldtwistle.

Eyewitnesses said the driver, who had come from the railway station end of town, braked as he was turning into the bus station but the woman was trapped for some time just behind the front nearside wheel.

Firefighters battled to jack up the bus and free the woman with the help of paramedics but she was found to be dead at the scene.

Police cordoned off the area to keep people back and the bus station remained closed following the accident.

Sgt Claire Holbrook, of Accrington police, said: "The accident was fatal and involved a female who was trapped under a bus on the bus station in Accrington."

Miss Clemance said: "It was horrible. I was just at the bus stop waiting for my Oswaldtwistle bus when I saw it happen. The bus driver just came around the corner and she went underneath. It was horrific, just horrendous. I've never seen anything like it before, it was like something in the movies.

"Everybody was screaming."

A man in his early 20s who did not want to be named said he heard the accident and went running over.

He said: "There was screaming and a great smash of glass. I turned around and saw the bus on a zebra crossing. I ran over and had a look underneath and I saw the woman."

Ray Pilkington, of Pilkington Coaches, said: "All I know is that a woman was involved. I believe it was one of our buses." Accrington bus firms Pilkingtons and M&M complained in March this year that the bus station was too cramped.

Accrington Town Centre Regeneration Board recently shelved plans for a new £2.4million out-of-town bus station because it was too costly and said that the station at Peel Street would probably be upgraded at a cost of £160,000.

Bob Tuffnell, manager of M&M bus company, said: "We have said that with the amount of traffic in the bus station and the removal of two bus stops it wasn't going to be long before somebody was seriously injured or killed."