A MOTORCYCLIST has been killed in a road crash near Egerton.

The accident happened at about 4pm on Wednesday night, when an Audi A3 car crashed into a silver Honda VFR 1200CC motorbike in Blackburn Road.

It lead to a lengthy closure of the road between the Stones Bank Road junction and Cox Green Road.

A Lancashire Police spokesman confirmed at just before 9pm that a man died as a result of the crash.

It is understood the man was in his 30s and from East Lancashire.

He had been travelling toward Egerton when the crash happened near the Ciao Baby restaurant.

The Audi driver was said to be shaken and went to hospital with minor injuries 

A staff member at Ciao Baby said at about 6pm: “There has been static traffic outside and they have been there since just after 4pm.

“No one can get through. There was a crash but no one knows how bad it is.”

The North West Air Ambulance was called to the scene just after 4pm.

Police officers worked throughout the evening at the scene.

The crash caused major delays for rush hour motorists travelling in both directions, and the road was still closed at 9pm.

Bus company Transdev said its number one service from Darwen to Bolton would turn around at Darwen Cemetery.

The incident has come just a day after another serious crash in nearby Belmont, in which two women were taken to hospital.

The crash happened at about 8.30am on Tuesday when a Vauxhall Astra tried to overtake a car but was met by an oncoming vehicle.

The Vauxhall smashed into a tree before spinning down an embankment and hitting another tree.

Anyone with information on either crash is asked to contact police on 101.