Car crash fire kills three people

Police are urging any witnesses to the crash to contact them

A man and two women died when their car was involved in a crash with another vehicle and burst into flames.

Emergency crews were called to the A495, near the Narrow Boat pub, between Ellesmere and Whittington, Shropshire, at about 2200 BST on Saturday.

Police said the 19-year-old driver of a Vauxhall Corsa, and two women aged 18 and 24, died at the scene. Two other women in the car were hurt.

A couple and their two-year-old who were in a Citroen have minor injuries.

One of the women in the first car was taken to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital with head injuries and the other was taken to the Wrexham Maelor Hospital with a broken leg and head injuries.

A doctor who had been passing by stopped to help the injured people.

'Very tragic'

Police said an investigation into the crash was under way.

Insp Phil Shakesheff said: "It is a very tragic case.

"We have got the loss of three young lives and we have two other victims who are in a serious condition at the moment."

He added the two injured women would be having surgery later on Sunday.

A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: "One car, a Vauxhall Corsa, contained five people. The other, a Citroen, contained a couple and a two-year-old child.

"The Corsa was on fire and three of the five people in it were confirmed dead at the scene.

"The other two, both women believed to be aged around 17 and 20, were taken to hospital."

A man travelling in the Citroen was treated at the scene for minor injures, while his partner and child were taken to hospital to be treated for shock.

A spokesman for West Mercia Police said the coroner had been informed.

Police urged any witnesses to contact them.