Shropshire teenager killed in A49 crash

A Shropshire teenage has died after the vehicle he was travelling in left a road, ended up on its roof and went up in flames.

Ambulance officials today said the man, who is understood to be a 19-year-old former Ludlow College student, was pulled from the burning car by a police officer and a member of the public but was confirmed dead at the scene.

The incident happened on the A49 at Hope-under-Dinmore, near Leominster, early yesterday.

Three young men were involved in the single-car crash at about 2.40am yesterday. It is not known why the vehicle left the road. It was one of a spate of incidents on roads in the region over the weekend.

Chris Kowalik, a spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said crews found the car on its roof and on fire.

"There were three men in the car. Two of them had managed to get out by themselves. They were both believed to be in their late teens or early 20s," he said.

"They were both immobilised with the use of spinal boards and neck collars and were taken to Hereford County Hospital for further assessment and treatment. A third man was pulled from the vehicle by a police officer and a member of the public.

"Ambulance crews began to administer advanced life support procedures, but despite their best efforts, sadly he was confirmed dead at the scene."

Meanwhile, an elderly couple suffered minor injuries after a collision with a telegraph pole just after 9.45am yesterday in Newport Road, Edgmond, near Newport.

In a separate incident a tanker overturned spilling its load onto the carriageway at Nesscliffe near Shrewsbury, at about 2.25pm on Saturday. And the B4555 was closed for nearly an hour today after a two-car collision at Chelmarsh, near Bridgnorth, at 6.40am.

By Sophie Bignall