A SCHOOLGIRL killed trying to cross a busy motorway last month has been laid to rest following a funeral at St Augustine's Church, Tonge Moor.

More than 200 family and friends of 12-year-old Chelsea Hartigan, of Harper Green Road, Farnworth, filled the church for the service on Tuesday.

Mourners included Chelsea's teachers from Harper Green School and some of her classmates, accompanied by their parents.

At the funeral - conducted by Father Tony Davies - the reading was given by Alistair de la Hoyde, Chelsea's head of Year Eight, and her father, Steve, paid tribute to her in a poem he composed.

Afterwards a crowd gathered at Tong Cemetery for her burial.

Chelsea died after being hit by cars as she crossed the northbound carriageway of the M61 near the Farnworth junction on February 25.

Harper Green School deputy headteacher Lesley Powell said: "It is an absolute tragedy for Chelsea's family and a huge loss to the school."

Instead of using a nearby footbridge, the schoolgirl had been running across the motorway with 14-year-old friend, Zoe Gibbons, when she was struck by a Land Rover Freelander and then three other vehicles.

Chelsea, of Harper Green Road, Farnworth was rushed to the Royal Bolton Hospital but later died.

The coroner had been informed and an inquest will be held at a future date.