A MOTORIST has been charged with killing a man in a head-on crash on a road linking two East Lancashire towns.

John Suthers, 34, who was born in Rawtenstall, died after his Vauxhall Nova was in collision with a Land Rover Freelander on the A682 Burnley Road, Clowbridge.

The driver of a Subaru Impreza was arrested shortly after the crash on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

Steven George, 31, of Hordley Street, Burnley, has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, failing to stop following an accident and failing to report an accident.

He is due to appear before Burnley magistrates tomorrow.

Mr Suthers died at the scene following the incident which happened on October 20 last year.

He had moved to Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands in 2005 and was visiting family when the crash happened.

His purple Nova was travelling towards Rawtenstall when the incident happened by The Beijing restaurant.

The woman driver of the Freelander heading towards Burnley suffered minor injuries.

Sergeant Martin Bishop of the road policing unit based at Colne said: "A man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, failing to stop and failing to report an accident.

"He will be appearing at court tomorrow."

Following the accident Mr Suthers's parents, Jennifer Mattinson and Fred Suthers, of Greave Close, Rawtenstall paid tribute to their son who was described as "the quiet one of the family".