One man has died and a woman is fighting for her life after a car crash during a police chase.



The car they were in was involved in a collision with another vehicle on the eastbound carriageway of the A50 at about 6.15am on Sunday between the Baths Road and Trentham Road junctions in Stoke on Trent.

The people in the second vehicle received minor injuries and were taken to hospital as a precaution.

A spokeswoman for Staffordshire police said: “The vehicle involved in the collision was being pursued by police officers for failing to stop prior to the incident occurring.

“Due to our involvement before the collision, we have voluntarily referred ourselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.”

In a separate incident, two teenagers have been arrested after a stolen BMW ploughed into five pedestrians in Essex.

Police said the vehicle collided with the group of men aged in their early twenties on Furtherwick Road, Canvey Island, at about 4.10pm on Saturday.

The two occupants then abandoned the blue BMW 120D, which had been reported stolen, and fled the scene.

A 17-year-old youth from Canvey was later arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, failing to stop after an accident and driving while unfit through drink or drugs. He remains in police custody.

An 18-year-old man from Canvey was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving while unfit through drink or drugs, aggravated vehicle taking, theft of a motor vehicle, failing to stop after an accident, failing to report an accident and driving without insurance.

Five men were treated at the scene for serious injuries before being taken to hospitals across Essex and London. Three remain in hospital but none of the injuries is described as life-threatening.

A spokesman for Essex police said: “Reports there was a police pursuit are incorrect. Officers were in the area responding to an unrelated incident at the time and not to the presence of the BMW.

“However, the matter has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Complaints under the criteria of there being an indirect link between police being in the area and the incident.”