A MAN froze to death after a stolen car he had been travelling in, crashed.

Danny McLeod missed his footing as he ran from the scene of the crash through woods - and plunged to the bottom of a hidden ravine. Clad only in a light T-shirt and jeans, the 22-year-old died of suspected hypothermia.

His body was discovered by a man exercising his dogs on Sunday - 48 hours after the car crash on Liverton Road, Liverton Mines, east Cleveland.

Detective Inspector Colin Galloway is appealing to the public's help in piecing together the events leading to Mr McLeod's death. He said: "It would appear the man who has been named as Danny McLeod comes from Loftus.

"He may have been with two friends in a car that crashed on Friday. All three made off and it seems Danny on his own, ran into the woods. "His body, dressed in T-shirt and jeans was found face down in undergrowth down a steep ravine. There were no apparent injuries.''

Because of the remote and rough nature of the terrain, fell experts, Cleveland Search and Rescue were called in to recover the body.

Police are appealing for anyone who was with Danny McLeod from Friday onwards to contact Cleveland Police on (01642) 302626.

The car crashed sometime after 4pm last Friday and had been reported to Cleveland Police as stolen.

Two men, aged 21 and 22 years from Liverton have been charged with aggravated vehicle taking and have been released on police bail, pending their appearance before local magistrates on October 21.