A SIX-year-old girl died and her 18-month-old sister was fighting for her life last night after a stolen car ploughed into their family's hatchback.

Distraught father Steven Sawyer, 33, was found wandering near the wreckage, screaming for help as his two daughters lay covered in blood.

Rebecca Sawyer died from the multiple injuries she suffered when she took the full impact of the stolen Vauxhall Astra with the Sawyers' Citroen Saxo. Her younger sister, Kirsty, was in a critical condition last night.

The Astra, which was carrying four people, had been stolen from Nevilles Cross, near Durham City, earlier this week.

It jumped a red light, then smashed into the Citroen in Ashington, Northumberland, at 10.45pm on New Year's Eve. A 21-year-old man was arrested at the scene while another man and a woman were spotted fleeing.

Police said a man and a woman later handed themselves in and were being questioned last night.

Officers are appealing for a fourth person believed to have been in the car to also come forward.

The girls were in child seats in the back of the Citroen, being driven by Mr Sawyer. It is believed the family were travelling to their home in Malvern Close, Ashington.

Two police officers attending another incident nearby arrived at the scene in seconds, and gave chase as a man and woman fled, but lost them.

The cars demolished a wall outside David Singh's corner shop and Kirsty was thrown into the road, where she lay motionless.

Mr Singh, who had closed his shop just over an hour earlier, ran downstairs from his flat to be confronted by the scene of carnage.

The 41-year-old father-of-three said he thought the youngster in the road had died as well.

He said: "When I saw that child lying in the road it was heartbreaking. I was just saying please, please let her be all right, but she was lying there motionless. Then she started to cry and I just thanked God she was alive."

Mr Singh added: "I could not sleep afterwards and that memory will be with me always. I will keep on seeing that child until the day I die."

Rebecca was cut from the wreckage by emergency crews and was taken with her sister and father to nearby Wansbeck General Hospital.

Doctors were unable to save Rebecca and she was pronounced dead just after midnight.

Kirsty was transferred to a specialist head injury clinic at Newcastle General Hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery during the night.Her mother, Sharon, an auxiliary nurse at Wansbeck Hospital, was keeping a bedside vigil.

Her husband suffered a broken sternum and cuts and bruises to his face and body.

Acting Chief Inspector Paul Gilroy, of Northumbria Police, said: "This is an absolute tragedy.

"We know that the Astra was carrying false number plates, which suggests this is not a case of joyriding, but that the vehicle was stolen and steps were taken to disguise that fact."

Police urged anyone who had seen the car -- particularly before the crash as it was being driven through County Durham - to come forward.

Detectives are trying to build up a picture of the vehicle's movements before the accident.

A spokesman said: "Anyone with information should contact the Motor Patrols North division on 0191-214 6555, extension 62783."

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