Five-year-old girl may have been in car with dead driver 'for some time' after Staffordshire crash

The child was taken to hospital in Stoke with minor injuries

The accident came as thick fog blanketed parts of the country (PA)

A five-year-old girl who survived a fatal car crash in Staffordshire may have been in the vehicle with the dead driver “for some time” before she was found.

Two cyclists discovered the vehicle, which had hit a tree, in a ditch on the B5030at Crakemarsh on Sunday morning.

A spokesperson for West Midlands Ambulance Service said the male driver was dead when paramedics arrived.

“On arrival, crews found a car that was in a ditch - it had suffered considerable damage. It appeared to have been there for some time. It was very foggy at the time,” he added.

”Unfortunately, it was immediately obvious that the man driving had passed away.

“This was an extremely difficult incident for all involved including the two cyclists who made the discovery.”

The emergency services had sent out warnings for drivers on social media throughout the day, warning them to be careful in thick fog.

The child was taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital with pain in her back and abdomen. She and the driver have not been named.

Additional reporting by PA