The man who killed two young women on Brockholes Brow has been refused his appeal against his sentence.

Mohmed Salman Patel was found guilty of causing the deaths of Shelby Maher, 17, and Rachel Murphy, 23.

The 26-year-old from Carham Road, Blackburn knocked them down on the A59 as they crossed the road with friends on 20 April 2016.

He pleaded not guilty to causing death by dangerous driving but was convicted after a second trial at Preston Crown Court and jailed for six years in August last year.

Patel lodged an appeal in October last year.

A spokeswoman for the Crown Prosecution Service told Blog Preston: “We have now been notified that the Single Judge has refused Mr Patel leave to appeal against his conviction and sentence.”

Read more: This is exactly what happened in the Brockholes Brow crash

More than 1,000 people signed a petition calling for the CPS to refuse Patel his appea.