Four dead in Bradford police chase crash Published duration 2 August 2018

image copyright Danny Lawson/PA image caption An unmarked police car was following the grey BMW on Bingley Road in Bradford before the crash at 05:30 BST

Four people have died in a car crash during a police pursuit in Bradford.

A BMW containing four males was being followed by officers on Bingley Road before it crashed at the junction with Toller Lane at 05:30 BST.

The road, in the Heaton area of the city, was closed by police and is likely to remain sealed off for most of Thursday.

The crash has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

image copyright Danny Lawson/PA image caption Residents woke up to a "loud bang" and saw the crashed grey BMW near a tree

A resident who lives close to the scene reported being woken up by a "really loud bang".

Roger Wood, 67, said: "It wasn't until I woke up properly later in the morning that I found out what had happened when one of my neighbours said they'd seen on the news that people had died. It's horrendous."

Christine Yates, who lives less than a minute's walk from the crash site, said the car involved was "smashed up against a tree".

She added: "I knew that it was a very serious incident when I saw the number of emergency service vehicles that were there on the scene, as there were an awful lot of them."

'Loud screeching'

Salim Rahman, 69, said: "I have been living on Toller Lane for 33 years and there are always cars coming up here too quickly.

"It's not unusual to hear sirens and police chasing people."

One local resident, who said his name was Zaff, told the BBC he heard "a loud screeching followed by a loud bang" early this morning.

He said the road was used as a race track, adding "something has got to be done".

image caption Recovery and forensic examination work has been continuing at the scene of the crash

The IOPC confirmed an unmarked West Yorkshire Police car was following the grey BMW.

Miranda Biddle, IOPC regional director, said: "This is a most tragic incident and our sympathies are with the family and friends of those who have died.

"Our investigators are attending post-incident procedures, have travelled to the scene and have begun gathering evidence."

She added that an independent investigation had opened.

The incident means that 13 young people have died in multiple-occupancy vehicle accidents in Leeds and Bradford in recent months.