A HORRIFIC North-East car crash has claimed a second victim as experts attempt to work out what led to the accident.

Lisa Burniston, 28, died yesterday in hospital, despite treatment for 50 per cent burns.

She was a passenger in a Vauxhall Calibra which careered out of control on a roundabout at Grove Hill, Middlesbrough and hit a tree. It rebounded, somersaulted and landed upside down on iron railings before bursting into flames.

The car's driver, Darren Caswell, 20, died at the scene. Three friends, all from the Grove Hill area of Middlesbrough, remain in a critical condition.

Two 21-year-old men are in the intensive care unit in Middlesbrough General Hospital and another 24-year-old man is in intensive care in the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle.

A sixth person walked away from the crashed and burning car with minor injuries.

Police crash experts continued the examination yesterday of the mangled remains of the burned-out car in a bid to find out why the crash happened.

All those in the vehicle were friends and lived in the closely-knit Grove Hill community. Shaken residents were still trying to come to terms with the tragedy yesterday.

Some had used pans of water to put out the flames, which had engulfed the car. The heat of the blaze forced the would-be rescuers back. The injured had to be cut free from the wreckage by firefighters.

Lisa had been taken by helicopter from North Tees Hospital, Stockton, to the specialist burns unit at the Royal Victoria Infirmary.

Eyewitness Lee Greet, 18, said: "We wanted to help as much as we could, the people inside were screaming. We tried to lift the car to get them out, but then it went up in flames and was well ablaze."

Witnesses are asked to contact PC John Clarke of the Cleveland Police crash investigation department, on (01642) 301558.