A MAN and two 17-year-old girls died when the car they were in collided with a lorry in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The driver of the car was a 43-year-old man and the two teenage girls were passengers.

Emergency services were called after the collision at 2.20am between a black Mercedes car and a curtain-sided DAF wagon on Fellside Road, in Whickham, near Gateshead.

Dave Escott, group manager of Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Two fire crews from Newcastle Central and one crew from Gosforth fire stations attended the incident and liaised with the police and ambulance service.

“Unfortunately, the three occupants of the Mercedes car were pronounced deceased at the scene.

“Our thoughts are with the families involved following this tragic event.”

The North East Ambulance Service said that three double-crewed ambulances and a Hazardous Area Response Team attended the scene.

The man and two girls were all from the Gateshead area.

The lorry driver was uninjured.

Police have launched an investigation and are urging people with information to come forward.

The car was a distinctive Mercedes C63 AMG model and officers are appealing for anyone who might have seen the car in the hours leading up to the collision to contact them.

Police believe the Mercedes may have been in the area around the Metro Centre earlier that evening and are looking to trace it's movements up to 2.20am on Wednesday, August 10.

A spokesman for Northumbria Police said: “Our thoughts continue to be with the friends and families of those involved in this tragic incident.”

The identities of the man and two girls has not been released by police at this stage because relatives are still being informed.

Part of Fellside Road, between the A692 Lobley Hill Road and Whickham Golf Club, was closed this morning while investigations into the collision were carried out but it has now reopened.

Anyone with any information that could help police with their investigation is asked to contact them on 101 quoting reference number 92 10/08/16.