Tributes flood in to teen killed walking on M8

Friends and family of a teenage girl killed when she was struck by two vehicles on the M8 spoke today of their grief.

Elizabeth Coulter was walking home to Livingston with pal Liam Forbes after a night out in Edinburgh when she was hit by a minibus on the eastbound carriageway.

The 19-year-old was thrown on to the opposite carriageway and was hit again by a Fiat Punto. Police believe other motorists may have struck her body without realising.

Today Liam spoke of his horror at witnessing the accident, In a message to Elizabeth's sister Louise on Facebook, he said: "I can't believe it. I was so close, if only I'd grabbed her".

Louise, 22, told friends on her webpage: "It's no sunk in yet. Why did she try n cross the motorway. I canny take it in."

Liam replied: "I don't know. I can't sleep. Can't stop thnkn o her. Can't believe it. She was my best mate."

Elizabeth was struck at around 11pm on Tuesday near the junction between the M8 and the bypass at Hermiston Gait.

This morning tributes to the keen Rangers fan, who previously attended Inveralmond Community High, were flooding Facebook.

One friend, Tonii Marson, said: "Coulter a keep going on your profile and looking at yer picture and comments but a still cant believe it. It just seems soo unreal that your gone hen!.. you are up there in a better place now tho hen and we will all join you at one point :D!. Gone but Never Forgotton!!"

Another friend, Sammy Rees, spoke of happier times when they were youngsters. She said: "Digestives n syrup days at ur grans back in the day wer fun times. Rest in peace Lizzie pal xx."

It appears Elizabeth and Liam had been walking home from the Capital along the side or the motorway that night, but today her friends said they couldn't understand what had happened.

One driver told the Evening News of how he swerved to avoid the teenager after she had been hit by the minibus and the car.

The motorist travelling behind the car that hit her, who asked not to be named, said he swerved to avoid her body as it landed in front of his vehicle.

The 38-year-old said: "I was driving along westwards when the car in front seemed to hit something. It was pitch dark so I only knew about it because the car's tail-lights seemed to jump up into the air a little. I thought the car had hit a fox or a dog.

"When my lights caught it, I realised it was a person's body and managed to swerve round it. The driver behind me also struck her body and several lorries and other vehicles coming behind also ran over her.

"I pulled up to the side of the road, as did other drivers who had been in front and behind me. The other drivers who stopped where all shocked by what had happened."

Ambulance crew pronounced her dead at the scene and the road was closed in both directions for around six hours.

Police are now appealing for witnesses to the crash to come forward as they try to piece together what happened.

Inspector David Milne, from the force's road policing unit, said: "We are considering the possibility that other motorists may have hit the victim as they travelled west on the M8 at around 11pm, after the initial fatal collision.

"They may have been unaware of striking her at the time, but may now suspect otherwise. If so, we would also urge them to get in touch."