Crash victims were four friends

Firefighters had to remove three bodies from the wreckage

Detectives are trying to piece together the final movements of four friends who were killed when their car crashed into a tree in Wirral.

The Vauxhall Tigra coupe was found upside down on the A540 Chester High Road near Neston just after 0200 BST.

The victims are two men aged 19 and 20 and two women aged 43 and 19. They are all from Neston, said Cheshire Police.

A spokesman said: "We are still working to establish the movement of the four friends prior to the collision."

The A540 was closed between The Runnell and Boathouse Lane while forensic teams investigated at the scene. It reopened at 1530 BST.

Fire fighters took several hours to remove three of the bodies from the wreckage. The fourth person was thrown clear.

The incident happened not far past a sign warning motorists there had been 59 collisions at the spot in the last three years.

The car was severely compressed after overturning onto its roof.

The police spokesman added: "We are trying to work out the movements of the blue coupe Tigra before the crash which claimed their lives."

Officers are keen to speak to anyone who saw the car earlier in the evening.