Couple killed in late-night M6 crash near Preston named as Lancaster couple

Police were called around 9.55pm on Sunday, November 11, following reports of an accident close to Junction 31a.

An Audi A4 car travelling northbound had been involved in a collision with a Vauxhall Vectra car. The Vauxhall then collided with a Volkswagen Transporter, which in turn collided with a Citroen CX Athena.

Emergency services attended and the driver of the Vauxhall, 58-year-old Patricia Howard from Lancaster, was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

Her husband David Howard, 57, a passenger in the Vauxhall was taken to Royal Preston Hospital, but sadly died a short time later.

The occupants of the Audi made off from the scene and were later arrested by police in connection with the incident.

The driver of the Volkswagen, a 47-year-old man from Ulverston and the driver of the Citroen, a 70-year-old man from Galgate, were not injured.

The road was closed for more than six hours while accident investigators attended the scene.

Police are appealing for information following the collision and urging any witnesses to come forward.

Anyone with information can contact Sgt Dave Hurst on email [email protected] or police on 101 quoting log reference 1407 of November 11.

Two men aged 22 and 24, both from Wakefield, a 21-year-old woman from Abergavenny and a 24-year-old man from Ossett, West Yorkshire, have been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and are in custody.

An 18-year-old woman was initially arrested by police but has since been taken to hospital having suffered a broken arm.