A VAN driver charged in connection with a crash in which four members of the same family died, made his first appearance in court yesterday.

Scott Easton, 22, of Hebburn Road, Stockton, is accused of four counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

The charges relate to a crash on the A1 near Kirkby Fleetham, between Leeming and Catterick, North Yorkshire, on March 3.

Paula Gilbert, 29, her fiance, Neil Jex, 37, and her sons, Tristan, three, and Kaiden, seven months, died when their red Citroen Saxo was involved in a collision with a blue Ford Transit van driven by Mr Easton. The family's hatchback left the road and hit a row of trees.

Ms Gilbert's other son, eight-year-old Macauley, survived, but suffered two broken legs and a broken wrist.

He was taken to The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

The air crew were so moved by his plight that they set up an appeal fund, which raised £44,000 before it closed last week.

Mr Easton was arrested at the scene of the accident. He was charged last week and appeared at Northallerton Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Mr Easton, who was wearing a grey pinstripe suit and white shirt, spoke only to confirm his name and address during the brief hearing.

Magistrates adjourned the case until Friday, June 8, at Teesside Crown Court and released Mr Easton on unconditional bail.

The family, of Hebburn, South Tyneside, had been travelling to Blackburn, Lancashire to visit Mr Jex's relatives when the accident happened.

At the weekend, the father and uncle of Mr Jex held an event to raise funds for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Tommy Jex, 65, and his brother, Frank, 69, both of Blackburn, held a raffle and organised entertainment by two singers at the town's Furthergate Workingmen's Club on Friday night.

Tommy said: "I will send some money to Macauley and I want a lot of the money going to the air ambulance.

They did a fabulous job getting Macauley out of the car alive. It was a miracle."

Blackburn and District Ladies' Darts and Dominoes League has already raised £120 for Macauley's trust fund, while the Blackburn and Hyndburn Football Players raised £67 at a meeting earlier this month.