AN investigation is under way after a student died on a Hampshire motorway when he was run over by at least three cars, one of them a police patrol vehicle.

Up to 40 officers are trying to piece together the events that led to the accident yesterday morning on the eastbound carriageway of the M27.

The man, 21-year-old Damian Whitfield, from Queens Road in Waterlooville, was declared dead at the scene.

Officers closed the eastbound motorway between junctions eight near Bursledon and nine at Whiteley for 12 hours from 3am while they scoured the accident scene on a bridge across the Hamble River.

Mr Whitfield had been hit by a white Volkswagen Polo driven by a 37-year-old woman from the Southampton area who was arrested, questioned and later released on police bail until September 17 without charge.

Police sent to investigate reports of a man running along the motorway then struck him. It is not known whether Mr Whitfield was already dead before the police car hit him.

He was then hit by a white, rented, Transit-style van and police are not ruling out the possibility he was run over by other vehicles.

Chief Inspector Jim Bettley said: "A major part of our inquiry will be to determine what the victim was doing on the motorway. We are working with the CID department to establish the chain of events that lead to this tragic accident."

The two police officers involved have been named as Pc Martyn Lockyear from Fareham who was driving and Pc John McGonigle from Eastleigh. .

The incident has been voluntarily referred by Hampshire Constabulary to the Police Complaints Authority for investigation.

Damien had hoped to join the Navy and train as a pilot after completing his business studies degree at Leeds Metropolitan University.

At the time of his death, he was completing a work placement in London before starting his final year at university.

Today(MON) prayers were being said for Mr Whitfield by students and staff at Oaklands Catholic School in Waterlooville, where his father Chris is headteacher.

In a letter to parents, chairman of governors Mike Hastilow(CORR) said: "It is with great sadness that I write to inform you of the death of the head's third son, Damien, as a result of a tragic motorway accident in the early hours of Sunday morning.

"With this tragic loss, I am sure you would join me along with the Oaklands community in remembering Damien's parents, Julia and Chris, in your thoughts and prayers."

Mr Whitfield attended Oaklands Catholic School from 1991 to 1998.

He leaves brothers Andrew, who was about to go to Japan to teach, Matthew, who has just completing a teaching degree in physical education, and Peter, currently studying for a teaching degree at St Mary's College in Twickenham.