AN investigation has been launched after a man died when he lost control of his car while being followed by a police van.

The 33-year-old was driving a white Ford Escort that overturned at a traffic island at the junction of Beckfields Avenue and Barwick Way, in Ingleby Barwick, near Stockton.

Police named the driver as Darren McGee, a father-of-one, from Rochester Court, Ingleby Barwick.

His injuries were so severe that paramedics and fire crew were unable to save his life and he died at the scene.

The incident happened shortly after 11pm on Tuesday when police officers came across the Escort as it headed along Ingleby Way.

They followed it into Blair Avenue before the driver lost control and crashed into the roundabout. There was no other vehicle involved.

A post-mortem examination was due to be carried out on Mr McGee yesterday afternoon.

Police were last night unable to say how fast the car had been travelling at the time of the accident or for how long it had been followed.

A spokesman for Cleveland Police said that senior investigating officers from the road policing unit and the force's complaints and discipline department had been appointed to head an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the crash.

The spokesman said the matter had been voluntarily referred to the Police Complaints Authority.

The spokesman said: "A detailed investigation is under way after a motorist who was being followed by a police van died after having lost control of the vehicle."

Police are anxious to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the incident or was in the area at the time.

Anyone with information is asked to call (01642) 326326.