POLICE PURSUIT CRASH VICTIMS NAMED

Christopher Morrison, 23, from Middleton, Manchester, and Cassie Fox, 19, from Monsall, also in Manchester, died along with another man after the Vauxhall Vectra struck a garden wall in Oldham shortly after 3.30am on Sunday.

The second man has been named by sources as Paul Bunting.

Another woman in the car survived the crash and was taken to hospital where her condition remains critical.

Chief Constable Peter Fahy said it was thought that the two female passengers were offered a lift from the town centre.

He said: "It would appear that first there were two men in the car and then they offered a lift to the two girls from Oldham town centre and there has been this tragic consequence."

Shortly before the crash, a police patrol tried to stop the car in the town centre, but the driver made off and the pursuit began.

The Vauxhall Vectra reached speeds of up to 80mph before entering Middleton Road, Chadderton, where it struck the corner of the front garden wall of an end of terrace house.

The car hit two other properties and a parked car before eventually coming to a halt after spinning round and flipping upside down.

Mr Fahy defended the actions of the Greater Manchester Police officer involved and said officers were "almost damned if they do in these circumstances and damned if they hadn't".