TWO young men from Witney who died after their car hit a tree near Chipping Norton have now been identified.

The accident happened at about 7.45pm last night when a blue Rover 214 was travelling along the B4450 Churchill Road.

A spokesman for Oxford coroner's office said the two men are Lee Parker, 28, of Morland Road, Witney, and Paul Turner, 23, of Green Lane, North Leigh.

Mr Parker was the driver and Mr Turner was a passenger who was thrown from the vehicle. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

The spokesman added that an inquest into the deaths was opened and adjourned this afternoon.

The car was travelling from Churchill towards Chipping Norton, when it left the road and collided with a tree.

The second passenger thrown from the car, 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 to allow traffic officers to investigate the crash.

PC Roger Marshall, of 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.