A WOMAN pushing a child in a pushchair was found dying in a council estate alleyway today.

And this afternoon a major investigation was underway to piece together what happened between Keats Close and Slater Avenue, Colne, just after 8.30am.

Ambulancemen, called to Keats Close just after 8.30am, found the woman, who is believed to be in her late 30s, collapsed. She was pushing a small child in a pushchair. The child was uninjured.

The woman was taken to Burnley General Hospital where doctors battled in vain to save her life.

The path was sealed off with police tape while detectives conducted house-to-house inquiries to try to find out if anyone had seen what had happened. Police officers were stationed at either end of the path which runs alongside a block of garages. Detective Inspector Clive Tattum, head of Pendle CID, is leading the investigation, which is being treated as a death out of doors.

Det Sgt Mike Collins said: "All I can say at this stage is that a woman aged about 40 had died after being foundin the street on the North Valley estate in Colne.

"We are making inquiries as we do with any death which takes place out of doors.

"There is no indication at this stage that there is anything suspicious but initially we have to treat it as a major inquiry so that any evidence is not destroyed.''

Police are aware of the identity of the woman but her name has not yet been released.

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