A NINE-year-old girl has died after falling into a deep water pit in Colne.

Lisa Regan died after falling into a storage pit at BSN Medical Supplies in North Valley Road, on Saturday afternoon.

Police and the Health and Safety Executive have now launched a joint investigation into the incident.

Lisa had been playing with a group of four or five friends in the compound when she fell into the water and was unable to climb out.

Despite being given first aid at the scene by paramedics, and later treatment in Burnley General Hospital and the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital in Pendlebury, the youngster died in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Friend John Murphy, aged six, who also fell in and was rescued with Lisa by passers-by, was recovering at home today in Keighley Avenue after being treated at Burnley General Hospital.

Lisa's parents, William, aged 50, and Lin Regan, aged 38, of Belgrave Road, were today too upset to speak about the incident. They were being comforted by friends at their terraced home along with Lisa's brother, Craig, aged seven.

Emergency services were called to the scene at Empress Mills about 2pm after passers-by heard shouts and screams coming from the yard outside the medical supply company.