Women die in crash with stolen car

Police tonight named two women who were killed when their vehicle was hit by a stolen car as officers continue to question two men and three teenagers in connection with the accident.

West Yorkshire Police said Janet Herd and Linda Tansley, both 48 and from Eccleshill, near Bradford, were in a Fiesta when it was hit by a stolen Mercedes.

The women died as a result of the injuries they received in the crash, police said.

The five people, including two 15-year-old girls and one 19-year-old woman, were arrested after the accident near Bradford at about 11.15pm yesterday.

A force spokesman said a police vehicle was alerted to the stolen red Mercedes CLK 200 just before the crash and the matter was being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

The crash happened near the junction of Apperley Road and Harrogate Road, close to the Stansfield Arms pub, in the Apperley Bridge area.

Two 22-year-old men and the three teenagers were taken to hospitals in Leeds and Bradford to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

All five were arrested in connection with the crash.

The main A658 Apperley Lane was closed between the B6152 Micklefield Lane and A657 New Line following the crash while investigations were carried out at the scene.

Detective Superintendent Dave Pervin, of the West Yorkshire Police homicide and major inquiries team, said: "Due to the time of night and location of the collision it is likely this incident will have been witnessed and we would like to speak to anyone who saw the incident or the red Mercedes shortly before the collision occurred."

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said later it had completed its investigation into the crash and would be taking no further action.

A spokesman said evidence from police logs and witnesses revealed that an officer, who was looking out for the stolen Mercedes near Harrogate Road in Bradford, chased the car in a police vehicle for around 75 seconds before the crash.

Witnesses said the police car was 50 to 100 yards, or three to four seconds, behind the Mercedes at the time of the collision.

Nicholas Long, IPCC commissioner for Yorkshire and Humberside, said: "My sympathies go out to the families and friends of the two women who died. This was a terrible tragedy.

"Our investigators have conducted a thorough and independent assessment of all the available evidence.

"On the basis of that, I do not believe the IPCC needs to be involved in the investigation any further at this stage and, therefore, I am content for West Yorkshire Police to continue with their own investigation."