Crash driver dies in police chase

The car was being followed by a police helicopter

A driver who died when his car hit a tree was being chased by a police helicopter and two patrol cars.

The 26-year-old man was killed on Thursday when his vehicle left the A612 Southwell to Nottingham road.

The victim was being tracked by police when officers on the ground flashed their blue lights to halt the driver.

He did not stop and failed to negotiate a bend in the road, colliding with a tree. An Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) inquiry is under way.

The victim's wife called police on Thursday afternoon when her husband went missing and she became concerned for his welfare.

Missing person

Nottinghamshire Police began a missing person's inquiry and, at about 1930 GMT, they traced his mobile phone to Thurgarton, near Nottingham.

The helicopter and marked police vehicles were sent to the area and a police dog van found the victim's car.

The van followed the man's vehicle and was joined by a second police vehicle and a helicopter.

He had been tracked for about four miles when officers tried to stop the vehicle, before it careered off the road and hit a tree.

The man, who has not been named, was pronounced dead at Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, at 2220 GMT.

Senior IPCC investigator Mike Grant has visited the crash scene and viewed the video recording of the incident, taken from the police helicopter.

There is no evidence at this time that any of the vehicles involved travelled at excessive speed, the IPCC said.

The coroner's officer has been informed and a post-mortem examination is due to be carried out.