RELATIVES of two Bury children, killed when the police car they were travelling in crashed, today spoke of their tragic loss.

Neza Price, aged four, and his sister Claudette, aged two, died in the horrific Boxing Day smash in County Durham.

Their brother Sid - the twin to Neza - is still battling for his life in Newcastle General Hospital's intensive care unit where he was transferred by police escort after the smash.

The children's mum Shellen, 32, was being taken with her children to a women's refuge in County Durham.

The family had lived on Bury Council's Fernhill Caravan Park, on Birch Street, Bury, before a recent move to a caravan site in the North-east.

Yesterday relatives who still live on the Bury caravan site, spoke briefly of the tragic accident which had claimed the lives of the young brother and sister.

A family member told the BEN: "The family are in no fit state to talk about what has happened. They just want to be left alone to grieve."

The accident on the A68 near Witton-le-Wear in County Durham came just after mid-day on Boxing Day.

The Panda car, driven by PC Mick Austin was in collision with a Renault Scenic car which is believed to have skidded on ice on the busy road. He had to be cut free from the wreckage and has since undergone an operation on a fractured knee.

Critical

Mrs Price, who was a front seat passenger in the Panda car, was taken to the Darlington Memorial Hospital for treatment to abdominal injuries. She is said to be "comfortable".

Four-year-old Sid is said to be in a "critical" condition at Newcastle General Hospital.

Last night a police spokesman confirmed that accident investigation officers were probing the smash.

He added: "There is no suggestion at this stage that the police car was being driven in anything other than a proper manner."

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