CHILDREN have been hanging from bridges and playing on a motorway central reservation where a girl was killed, it has been revealed.

Twelve-year-old Chelsea Hartigan was hit by two cars as she tried to run on to the M61, near Farnworth, during a game of dare.

Accident investigators from Greater Manchester Police say that the area has become a hotspot for children playing dangerous games.

Farnworth councillor Noel Spencer today called for new safety measures to stop youngsters running across the motorway.

He said: "If a higher fence will prevent them accessing the carriageway, I'm strongly in favour of it.

"And that unlit stretch of motorway will attract kids playing simply because it is dark and they are not easily spotted."

Speaking at the inquest into Chelsea's death, motorway police officer Sgt Andrew Dewar said that they often received reports of children hanging from the motorway bridge, playing on the grass verge next to the hard shoulder, or even standing on the central reservation.

He added: "We have numerous incidents each month on that stretch of motorway with children playing at the side of the carriageway or running across the lanes. It has been an ongoing problem for the last few years."

Chelsea's stepfather, Paul Sellars, also called for improvements to protect other children and wants the motorway made less accessible to youngsters.

He said: "My message to children would be to stay away because motorways are not a safe area.

"There is no lighting on that motorway for a four mile stretch and the fence is just like a ladder.

"In a year's time I would like to see something much higher to stop children climbing over."

Coroner Jennifer Leeming said she would report the concerns to the Highways Agency.

She said: "There is an obvious risk here of children accessing the motorway. It is clear that this is an area that children are attracted to and it has caused problems for police."

Chelsea died from multiple injuries after running on to the motorway at 6.35pm, on February 25.

Her friend Zoe Gibbons tried to stop her but Chelsea was determined to carry out the dare after watching others complete the dangerous challenge.

A spokesman for the Highways Agency said: "We will await the report from the coroner and will look at it very closely.

"But the fence is a normal boundary fence for that type of area."

The inquest heard that the Highways Agency had increased the height of the fence and made it more difficult for children to climb over.

Sgt Dewar added: "In the dark, you would have as much chance of seeing a small animal as you would a child.

"At motorway speeds in the dark, it would have been almost impossible to see Chelsea."

A spokesman for the Highways Agency said: "We will await the report from the coroner and will look at it very closely.

"But the fence is a normal boundary fence for that type of area."