A TEENAGER has been charged with causing the death of two friends on the M65.

Callum Mossop, 19, is accused of causing the deaths of both Mazafer Iqbal and Mohammed Iqbal on July 26 last year, by driving without due care and attention.

Mossop, of The Old Barn, Alderhurst End Farm, Trawden, was said to have been driving a Citroen C2 car at the time of the collision, which occurred at around 2.15am.

No pleas were entered to either charge by the teenager, who was represented when he appeared before Burnley magistrates by Matthew Gent.

The case was sent for trial by magistrates and Mossop was released on unconditional bail to appear at Burnley Crown Court on June 22.

Mazafer Iqbal, 47, and Mohammed Iqbal, 48, from Brierfield and Burnley respectively, were travelling eastbound in a silver Renault Clio, returning from a takeaway shift in Skelmersdale, when a collision took place between junctions nine and 10.

The men, who had been friends for 30 years, were both pronounced dead at the scene.

Father-of-four Mazafer ran a branch of Chunky Chicken in Skelmersdale and his brother Nasir runs a similar operation off Leeds Road, Nelson.

Mohammed Iqbal, a father-of-two, worked at Sleep Sound Beds in Accrington and was a Liverpool FC fan. He was known to help out at the takeaway in Skelmersdale from time to time.

Their deaths were described at the time by friends as devastating.