POLICE investigating a crash in which four members of the same family died have used new technology to trace witnesses.

North Yorkshire Police used Automatic Number Plate Reading (ANPR) equipment to identify 70 drivers on the A1 at the time of the accident. Letters have been sent to all the drivers.

Police are urging the motorists to come forward in order to glean new information on how the family's car came to be in collision with a blue Ford Transit van.

Mother-of-three Paula Gilbert, 29, her fiance, Neil Jex, 37, and their sons Tristan, three, and Kaiden, seven months, all from Hebburn, in South Tyneside, died in the crash on Saturday, March 3.

Their maroon Citroen Saxo veered off the road and collided with trees at the side of the A1, south of Catterick, North Yorkshire, at about 8.40am.

The couple and their two sons were pronounced dead at the scene, and police said it was nothing short of a miracle that Ms Gilbert's eldest son, Macauley, eight, survived.

He is still in the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, recovering from two broken legs and a broken wrist.

Macauley is being supported by his grandparents.

Since the crash, his grandfather has suffered a mild heart attack, thought to have been brought on by stress.

Traffic Sergeant John Lumbard said a number of witnesses had already come forward.

But he said police had decided to use the ANPR equipment to identify the dozens of people who had not.

"The letters we have sent out may jog people's memories," he said.

"Often, potential witnesses don't contact police because they think someone else will. It's not often that this technology is used, but these letters are letting people know that we need everyone to come forward, even with the smallest piece of information."

Sgt Lumbard said officers were looking for the driver of an old red Fiesta-type hatchback car, which swerved to avoid debris from the accident and a man, possibly a farmer, who may have gone to the scene on foot to assist, but left when the emergency services arrived. He was wearing a Barbour-style jacket and flat cap.

However, anyone who was travelling on the A66 between Middlesbrough and Darlington, the A66 Darlington bypass or A1, between 8am and 8.45am that day, is urged to come forward.

Police are eager to speak to anyone who saw the 22-year-old Stockton driver of the Ford Transit van, which had the Menzies logo on the side, to come forward.

The van driver was arrested at the scene and has been released on police bail until April 23.

Anyone with information can call Richmond police on 0845-60-60-247.

Hundreds of mourners are expected to attend the family funeral on Monday, at South Tyneside Crematorium, in John Reid Road, in South Shields, at 2pm.