Two young Witney men have died after their car hit a tree near Chipping Norton last night.

Thames Valley Police said the accident happened at about 7.45pm, when a blue Rover 214 was travelling along the B4450 Churchill Road, from the Churchill village towards Chipping Norton. The car left the road and collided with a tree.

The driver, a 28-year-old man from Witney, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two passengers were thrown out the car. One, a 23-year-old man, from the Witney area, was also pronounced dead at the scene.

The second passenger, a man in his twenties from Chipping Norton, was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, where his condition is described as serious but stable.

The road was closed until about 1am this morning to allow traffic officers to begin investigating the collision.

Pc Roger Marshall, from Bicester roads policing department, said: "I am appealing to anyone who saw a blue Rover 214 travelling in the vicinity of Churchill or Chipping Norton area around the time in question, or anyone who witnessed the collision, to contact me as soon as possible."

PC Marshall can be contacted on 08458 505505 or call the anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555111.