A MOTHER of two was killed in a horror accident when she was hit by a car that ran out of control across a pavement.

The impact threw Ellen Newman 20ft down an embankment.

Ms Newman, aged 46, of Market Street, Stoneclough, was struck by the car at 11.40am on Thursday in Stoneclough Road, Kearsley.

It left the road as the driver negotiated a series of bends, hit Ms Newman and then smashed into a tree.

She was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital by paramedics, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police closed the road for four hours and launched an investigation into the accident.

The 20-year-old driver of the Ford Fiesta was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and released after treatment. He will be questioned by police in connection with the accident.

Sgt John Brennan, of Bolton's road policing unit, said: "It's still not entirely clear what happened, but we are fairly sure the woman was walking near to or standing at a bus stop when she was involved in a collision with the car.

"We are waiting to speak to the driver and, hopefully, we will then have a better idea of the exact circumstances."

Ms Newman was moving home to be closer to family in Swinton. She has a disabled son and for the last four months had been living in Market Street, Stoneclough.

Wayne Bithell, who lives next door, said: "She was always very pleasant. It's absolutely terrible what's happened. The first thing we knew about it was when we saw some policemen knocking on her front door."

Local residents said the accident was a tragedy but came as no surprise on such a dangerous road.

Glyn Southern, aged 41, of Stoneclough Road, who was one of the first on the scene, said: "I didn't realise the car had hit a pedestrian until I saw them lifting a stretcher out from the trees.

"It's very sad but I can't say I'm shocked. We have an accident on this stretch of road every other week and it's a miracle that more people haven't been killed."

Fire officers tried to resuscitate Ms Newman until ambulance crews arrived. They then used cutting gear to free the driver and put him on a spine board.

Witness Bill Hughes, who lives in Stoneclough Road, said: "It's a notorious blackspot for car crashes. "We've always said someone was going to get killed on this road and now it's finally happened.

"There are always lots of mothers with their babies and toddlers walking down the road - they're dicing with death.

"I've lost count of the number of the times I've rang Bolton Council asking for something to be done."

In 2002, Billie Joe Dean, aged eight, of Bridge Street, Stoneclough, was killed in an accident as he walked along the pavement outside the Hare and Hounds pub - just yards away from the scene of the tragedy.

The Prestolee School pupil was with his parents when he was struck by a motorcycle which had collided with a car. He died at the scene.

Local residents have since campaigned to have traffic calming measures to be installed. The speed limit for the road is 30mph.

A Bolton Council spokesman said: "We plan to introduce measures in the 2006/7 financial year that should help to slow traffic and encourage motorists to drive more responsibly.

"Detailed design of the scheme is yet to commence, but is likely to consist of a number of measures such as the introduction of central islands and road markings."

Anyone with information about the accident is asked to contact police on 0161 856 7273 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.