Children and aunt critically ill after UK crash kills six

Two children and their aunt were fighting for their lives today after a head-on car crash which killed six people, including the children’s grandparents.

A nine-year-old girl, a 10-year-old boy and their aunt, 34, were in a critical condition after the “horrific” accident.

The collision occurred last night close to the Broadwell turning on the A429 between Moreton-in-Marsh and Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire, England.

The children’s grandparents, who were with them in a VW Passat, are among the six dead. Their grandfather, 53, died at the scene, while their grandmother, 61, who was in the front passenger seat, died early today.

All five people in the Passat are thought to be from the local area.

Four people in a Peugeot 306, which was attempting to overtake a Kia Sedona at the time of the crash, died at the scene. They were a 35-year-old man, a 31-year-old woman, and a 15-year-old girl, all from the locality, and a 20-year-old man.

Police said the boy was being treated at Bristol’s Frenchay hospital for head injuries, and the girl at Bristol Children’s Hospital for abdominal injuries.

Their aunt was receiving treatment for chest injuries at Gloucestershire Royal hospital.

At a press conference today, Superintendent Jerry Foster of Gloucestershire police said: “The collision resulted in the deaths of six people and three are in hospital being treated for serious injuries.

“This is the worst case of loss of life in a single incident on Gloucestershire’s roads for many, many years.

“Our thoughts are with those affected, especially the family and friends of those that sadly lost their lives in this tragedy.”

He said a police community support officer discovered the accident scene at around 9.30pm yesterday.

“Both vehicles were being driven by local people who would have known the roads. Within a few minutes other emergency service crews were on the scene, and dealt with great professionalism with this horrific incident,” he added.

A traffic police officer said the straight road, which had a 60mph speed limit, was not known as an accident hotspot.

Gloucestershire Police called for anyone who witnessed the accident to contact them.