A teenage joyrider was killed last night and two others seriously injured when a stolen car shunted a taxi and careered into a lamppost in Bradford.

And in a separate incident today, a suspected stolen car crashed and overturned in Leeds Road, Thornbury, while it was being followed by police.

The force of the impact in last night's accident destroyed the front half of the Austin Maestro and hurled one of the teenagers clear of the wreckage.

Firefighters, police and paramedics managed to free the other youngsters.

All three were taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary where one of them, believed to have been the driver, was pronounced dead on arrival.

No-one else was injured in the crash and the vehicle was not being pursued by police. None of the people involved have been named.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "Shortly before 11pm last night a red Austin Maestro hit a parked car and collided with a lamppost outside Thornton Swimming Baths, Thornton Road, Bradford.

"The car, containing three male teenagers all from the Bradford area, had been stolen earlier that evening from Clayton. One person was thrown clear of the car and another sustained fatal injuries. One person is in Bradford Royal Infirmary with serious injuries. The other has been released."

Mohammed Iqbal, owner of A&M private hire taxis, was taking bookings in the firm's Thornton Road office when he heard the joyriders smash into one of his vehicles.

"I ran down the road and saw one the teenagers was lying in the middle of the pavement. Two bouncers from the New Inn Pub came to help and I called the emergency services."

Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident. Anyone with information should contact Toller Lane traffic police on Bradford 376247.

Today's accident at 8.40 am happened when police were tailing three youths who were riding in a high performance car. It smashed into a lamppost and was thrown on its side in Leeds Road at the junction with Gipsy Street on the Thornbury Roundabout.

Sergeant Richard Moffatt said two officers were following the white Rover 216 GTI, which they believed was stolen, when it went out of control coming out of Bradford. It hit the lamppost, flipping over on to its side next to a McDonalds restaurant.

Fire crews using cutting equipment managed to free a youth who was trapped inside the vehicle. He was taken, along with another youth, to Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Leeds Road was closed off while the trapped youth was freed and traffic coming into Bradford was diverted down Leeds Old Road and round the back of the McDonalds restaurant.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.