POLICE today renewed their appeal for witnesses after a car crash killed a heavily pregnant woman and her unborn child on New Year's Eve.

Jeanette McKenna, 33, of The Copse, Accrington, died after the vehicle went out of control in Shadsworth Road, Blackburn, at 7.30am on Monday, December 31.

She was pronounced dead at the scene and taken to hospital, where doctors failed to save the unborn child. Police are now anxious for any witnesses to the accident to come forward and help with the investigation.

Officers said the Peugeot 205 GTI crashed into a bollard before hitting the pavement 100 yards further up the road and colliding with a lamp post.

Emergency crew were called to the scene and the driver's body released from the car by firefighters.

Sgt Stuart Isherwood, of the road policing unit in Accrington, said the road had been gritted and was clear of snow and ice and that the cold weather was not believed to have been the cause of the crash.

Charles Mills, Liberal Democrat councillor for the Shadsworth ward, confirmed the road would have been gritted, but said conditions would not have been helped by the volume of traffic.

There have been several accidents on the stretch of road in the last two years.

Anyone who saw the accident or was in the area at the time should call the road traffic policing unit, Accrington, on 01254 353764.