Man dies in fatal collision

The police car was attending a burglary

A 52-year-old Bristol man has died after the car he was driving was involved in a collision with a marked police vehicle.

The incident happened at 2140 GMT on Thursday near Bath.

The police Nissan Terrano had been called out to a burglary and was travelling towards Templecloud when the crash happened at the junction of the A37 and the A39 at Whitecross.

A passenger in the car driven by Stuart James Belcher, of Whitehall, was taken to Bath's Royal United Hospital suffering from shock.

'Tragic incident'

The Police Complaints Authority (PCA) will supervise an inquiry into the incident, with Superintendent Gary Davies of Avon and Somerset Police as the investigating officer.

Police Inspector Clive Collins said: "The passenger in the civilian car, a silver Renault Laguna, is not believed to be hurt.

"Collision examiners are investigating the scene."

Police are now appealing for witnesses to the collision - or anyone who saw the vehicles before the accident - to come forward.

David Petch, of the PCA, added: "This is a very tragic incident so near to Christmas."

The two police officers in the Terrano were uninjured.