Police in East Lancashire have seized two vehicles after they were caught travelling at dangerously high speeds through two towns.

In the early hours of Friday morning, officers from the Tactical Operations Unit seized a Golf GTD and Range Rover in two separate incidents along Colne Road through Nelson and Brierfield, in which the vehicles had been seen overtaking other cars and breaking the speed limits.

A police spokesperson said: "A Golf GTD was seized under Section 59 on Colne Road, Brierfield, after conducting overtakes and driving at high speed.

"A second vehicle was seized under Section 59, this time in Nelson following numerous reports of it at high speed in Nelson and Brierfield."

Under Section 59 of the Police and Reform Act 2002, police have the power to seize and remove a vehicle, if they believe it is being driven inconsiderately or carelessly and causing, or is likely to cause, alarm, distress or annoyance to members of the public.

A freedom of information request found that over the last five years, police in East Lancashire have attended 360 road crashes in Nelson.

This is the fourth highest number of crashes in the whole of the region, with only Blackburn, Accrington and Burnley having a higher number of collisions.