Colleagues have been paying tribute to a newspaper van driver who was killed while delivering papers and leaflets in atrocious weather conditions.

Lancashire Telegraph driver Susan Heney, 45, was killed when her Ford Transit rolled down an embankment close to Junction 10 of the M65 near Burnley.

She had been delivering advertising leaflets and the Telegraph’s sister paper the Burnley Citizen on Saturday afternoon when the accident happened.

It was one of dozens reported to police as East Lancashire fell foul of more snow and ice over the weekend.

Ms Heney, an area organiser and distributor with Newsquest, publishers of the Lancashire Telegraph, was described by colleagues as “a really lovely person, loyal and totally committed to her team.”

Regional distribution manager Sheila Donaghy said: “Susan was such an excellent employee and her colleagues are all devastated, as is her partner Jimmy Trigg. It’s a dreadful loss.”

Lancashire police sergeant Malcolm Bell said they were still investigating the cause of the accident which resulted in the motorway’s eastbound carriageway being closed for four hours.

He said: “We are in the process of obtaining statements and there are numerous possibilities. We can’t rule anything in or out.”