Three teenagers killed in crash

An investigation into how the accident happened is under way

Three teenage friends have died in a head-on crash in West Sussex.

The crash, involving a Nissan Micra and a Ford Focus, happened on the A27 near East Hampnett on Wednesday night.

Police said the Nissan driver, an 18-year-old man from Bournemouth, and two other passengers, a man and a woman both aged 19, died of their injuries.

Two other passengers in the Nissan and the driver of the Focus, a 48-year-old man from Eastleigh, in Hampshire, are in hospital with serious injuries.

Sussex Police said the passengers were a man and a woman of similar age to the victims who died.

The Ford Focus had been driving westbound along the A27 towards Chichester, while the Nissan Micra had just driven up Nyton Road.

An investigation into the cause of the accident, which happened at the junction with Nyton Road just before 2100 GMT, is under way and witnesses are urged to contact police.

Local people have described the East Hampnett junction as an accident blackspot.

The Highways Agency said on Thursday it would consider the police report into the accident once it was completed.