SUSPECTS of a stolen vehicle are reported to have fled the scene of a crash yesterday evening.

On Thursday, October 31, residents reported witnessing the emergency services around the scene of an accident on Crank Road, with road closures put in place while officers dealt with the incident.

Police have now confirmed that officers were called to reports of a road traffic collision along the winding road, with a Ford Transit van found crashed and overturned.

No occupants were witnessed at the scene and further investigations established that the van had been reported stolen from a pub in Newton-le-Willows earlier that evening.

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A Merseyside Police spokesperson said: "We were called at 6.15pm yesterday, Thursday, October 31, to a report of an road traffic collision on Crank Road involving a Ford Transit van which had overturned.

"It is was reported that the van had earlier been stolen from outside a pub in Newton-le-Willows.

"The occupants of the van left the scene before patrols arrived and enquiries are continuing."