POLICE are appealling for witnesses following the death of a student in a car accident.

Suzanne Marie Preen, 18, died when her Ford Fiesta left the road as she was driving south on the A167 last Friday night.

Her car hit a steel fence just north of the Pity Me roundabout, Durham City, and crashed into some trees. She had borrowed her mother's car and had stopped off at her elder sister's home in Chester-le-Street on her way back from a part-time job at the MetroCentre.

Suzanne, from High Grange, Crook, was certified dead on arrival at the University Hospital, Durham.

The 18-year-old had just finished her A-Levels and was waiting to start a computing degree at Newcastle University.

Plans for a school reunion at Wolsingham School and Community College on Saturday were cancelled hours before it was due to begin, when news of popular pupil Suzanne's death filtered through.

Witnesses of the accident, which happened at 10pm, should call (0191) 3752159.