A woman who was shot dead near a supermarket in Blackburn was a 19-year-old law student, the BBC has learned.

Aya Hachem, who was in the second year of a course at Salford University, was found in the street on King Street close to Lidl on Sunday afternoon.

A car seen leaving the scene was later found abandoned.

Lancashire Police said "it is thought she died from a gunshot wound" and is appealing for anyone who saw the vehicle to get in touch.

Ms Hachem, who was taken to hospital but could not be saved, was a youth ambassador for the Children's Society.

The Asylum and Refugee Community, a charity working with asylum seekers and refugees in the Blackburn and Darwen area, said she died "in a horrific senseless attack".

It said she was "randomly caught up in a shooting outside Lidl" as she walked past at about 15:00 BST on Sunday.

"It is with great sadness and heartache we have to share with you that we have lost Aya, beloved eldest daughter of Samar and Ismael from Lebanon," they added.

"Aya, a beautiful 19-year-old woman from Lebanon, had just passed her second-year law exams at Salford University and had a dream and ambition to study international law."

'Shocking and senseless'

A Lancashire Police spokesperson said a light-coloured vehicle seen leaving the scene of the shooting had been recovered.

Murder detectives have appealed for anyone who saw the vehicle to contact them.

Det Supt Jonathan Holmes said: "This is a truly shocking and senseless killing, which has robbed a young woman of her life.

"We appreciate this will have caused a lot of worry in the community, but we have deployed significant additional resources, including armed officers, to carry out high-visibility patrols in the area to provide reassurance to residents."

Police have said the killing is not terror-related.