Driver being chased by police kills two in London crash

Pursued car crash into a group of four pedestrians in Penge in southeast of city

Police at the scene in Lennard Road, Penge in in southeast London. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
Police at the scene in Lennard Road, Penge in in southeast London. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

A child and a woman have died in south east London after they were hit by a stolen car being chased by police, Scotland Yard said.

Witnesses described the aftermath of the crash on Wednesday , which saw the pursued car crash into a group of four pedestrians in Penge.

One witness who helped with the aftermath said a woman in her 30s or 40s and a boy aged about 10 had been killed.

One witness said that a black car was being chased by two police BMWs when it tried to turn into Lennard Road, Penge.

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“He lost control and ploughed into a family that was walking on the pavement down Lennard Road.

“People were trying to lift a car off a little girl. The police officers that were chasing were distraught,” the man said.

Another eyewitness said that apart from the two people who died, he saw two casualties who were children being taken away by ambulance.

Scotland Yard said: “At approximately 2.05pm on Wednesday August 31 a car was in collision with a number of members of the public in Lennard Road.

"The car was being pursued by police at the time of the collision. London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance attended — two people have been pronounced dead at the scene.

“The driver of the car has been arrested and remains in custody at a south London police station.”

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has been informed and is sending investigators to the crash scene. Scotland Yard's internal standards department has also been told.