Two 15-year-old boys in custody as police say three boys were among victims of incident on Saturday night

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Five people, including three boys, have died after a stolen car hit a tree in West Yorkshire.

Two 15-year-old boys were in custody following the crash on Stonegate Road in Leeds on Saturday night.

The victims were a 12-year-old boy, two 15-year-old boys and two men aged 24 and 28, West Yorkshire police said. Two of them were pronounced dead at the scene and three died a short time later at hospital.

A spokesman for the force said police were called at 9.54pm after a stolen Renault Clio collided with a tree.

The families of the deceased have been informed.

The road remains closed and a West Yorkshire police major collision inquiry team is conducting an investigation.

Detectives are trying to establish whether all five victims were in the car or pedestrians at the time of the crash. It is understood that the two teenagers arrested were travelling in the stolen car.

The dead boys were named locally as Ellis and Elliott Thornton, aged 12 and 15.

Louise Thornton, 34, known as the boys’ godmother or Aunty Lou, said there were no words to describe the loss of the two “cheeky chappies”, , who were so loving towards their family.



She said: “Elliott was very loving and very trusting. He was so proud of his family, his mum and dad and his two sisters, Ebony, 16, and Bronte, five. Ellis was the youngest and he looked up to Elliott and Ebony as well.”

She added: “We are just devastated. We can’t believe they have both gone as that just doesn’t happen. We were so proud of the boys. They will be hugely missed by the family. It will leave a huge devastating void. As a family we have already been through so much.

“I’m devastated. They were very well loved. We just can’t describe how much these little boys have left a big void in our family.”



The vehicle had been removed from the suburban road by mid-morning on Sunday but a large gash could still be seen on the tree. Police had cordoned off a quarter-mile section of the tree-lined street, which is about three miles north of the city centre.

A police spokesman said officers were confronted by a scene of “complete carnage” when they arrived at the crash site.



On Sunday, neighbours described their shock at what had happened. One said he had heard a loud bang, which sounded like a firecracker.

He said: “Me and my wife were watching TV sometime between 9.30pm and 10pm when we heard a loud bang. I have seen the car, which I believe had an ‘05 number plate, completely squashed. Within minutes, dozens of police cars, a fire engine and several ambulances were at the scene.”

DCI Jim Griffiths, leading the investigation, said: “This is clearly a tragic incident in which five young people have lost their lives. We are currently investigating the exact circumstances of what happened.

“I would like to take this opportunity to ask anyone who saw what happened or has information about it to call us on 101 quoting log 1859 of Saturday 26 November.”