POLICE are appealing for witnesses to a fatal road accident which left one man dead and three people injured.

A 29-year-old man died when his red Rover was in collision with a silver BMW estate on the A170 in Racecourse Road, near Scarborough, at 5.45pm on Tuesday.

A man and two women in the BMW were injured in the crash, which happened three miles from the resort, but their injuries were not life threatening. The dead man is from the Scarborough area.

The Rover was travelling east and the BMW was heading west when they collided. Police wish to speak to anyone who saw either car on the A170 before the accident.

Police have confirmed that at least one vehicle drove past the crash as it happened and believe another vehicle passed the accident shortly afterwards.

A technical fault put the Police Witness Line out of action on Wednesday, and officers investigating the accident are concerned that calls from key witnesses might have been missed while the line was down.

Sergeant Chris Carlton said: "It is essential that we get all the information we can to piece together the circumstances leading to this tragic accident. If anyone tried to call the Witness Line and failed to get through, I am asking them to call again on (01723) 509555."