A YOUTH was killed after being hit by a fast-moving train as he used a well-known short cut.

The victim, who has not yet been identified but is thought to be between 16 and 19 years old, was struck by the 9.27am York to Blackpool train on the Rishton side of Church and Oswaldtwistle station at 11.40am yesterday. Transport police are appealing for information and witnesses.

The driver of the train, which was travelling at around 40mph, said the youth was standing on the track as he rounded a slight bend and approached a bridge.

He told Transport Police that he sounded his horn and hit the brakes of the train immediately but could not stop in time.

The youth was described as white, between 5ft and 5ft 3ins tall, 16 and 19 years old and stocky, with collar-length, thick, dark brown hair and was wearing a blue adidas anorak with yellow stripes on the sleeve, a yellow Nike T-shirt with a blue emblem on the chest, blue tracksuit pants with a lighter blue stripe on the leg and white and blue Nike Air trainers with a yellow tick on the side.

He was carrying a silver coloured cigarette rolling or tobacco tin with the initials JLM on it and a set of keys with a plastic key fob bearing the name Daniel.

PC Bill Rodgers, of British Transport Police at Preston, said: "We don't know who he is but we think he may be local because he was using a shortcut across the tracks.

"This again highlights how dangerous it is to cross or trespass on railways. We cannot really say what has happened at this time but there are no suspicious circumstances. No one else was involved."

PC Rodgers said officers were at the scene for most of the Bank Holiday and the line, which carries services between York or Scarborough to Blackpool and Blackpool to Colne, was partly closed for much of the afternoon. He went on: "The trains between York and Blackpool do not stop at Church and Oswaldtwistle station and so the train would have been going at some speed.

"The driver is shaken up but there was nothing that he could do. You cannot swerve a train like a car. He sounded his horn and braked but could not stop in time."

A worker at Tinker Brook Garage, which is just down from the station, said today: "There were a lot of police cars and an ambulance there but no one knows what happened or who was on the line."

Signs at the station warn: "Passengers must not cross the line."

Anyone with any information should contact police on 0161 228 5685 or Freephone 0800 405040.