TWO teenagers who stopped briefly at the scene of a fatal road crash may have vital information on how it happened.

Father-of-three Gary Beasley, 40, from Linburn Drive, Bishop Auckland, died in the head-on smash near Staindrop, County Durham, on Wednesday, April 25.

He was alone in a Citroen Xsara travelling from Barnard Castle when it was involved in a collision with a Volvo V70 on a bend at Dunn House Quarry, on the A688, at about 11.15pm.

The 39-year-old Volvo driver, who lives in Teesdale, managed to scramble free of his car seconds before it burst into flames. He was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital with leg injuries.

PC Mick Baxter, a specialist investigator from the Durham Police accident investigation unit, said two young men, who are thought to be in their late teens, stopped to help before driving off.

They were in a small car, probably a Vauxhall Nova, travelling in the same direction as the Citroen and may have been overtaken by it shortly before the tragedy.

PC Baxter said: "I do not believe they saw the accident but they may be able to shed light on why it occurred and it is important that we talk to them."

He urged anyone with information to contact the unit at police headquarters on 0191-386-4929.