POLICE have appealed for witnesses to an horrific crash on the A19 in which two women died.

The tragic accident forced the closure of the road for more than six hours as police experts examined the scene.

A silver Vauxhall Meriva lost control and overturned on the northbound carriageway of the A19 north of Thirsk, near the Silton crossroads, at about 9.30am on Sunday.

Two female back-seat passengers were declared dead at the scene. Another female passenger in the car was taken to the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, and a man was flown by air ambulance to James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough.

All four people involved in the collision were from Cleveland.

One man was arrested and released on bail following the collision, pending further police inquiries.

Officers appealed for anyone who saw the car immediately before or at the time of the collision to phone PC Paul Merritt on 0845 6060247 or 01723 509555.

Meanwhile, a man has appeared in court following a four-vehicle pile-up on the M62 near Knottingley on Friday evening, in which a 48-year-old woman died.

The crash closed part of the M62 in West Yorkshire for nearly two days, with the eastbound carriageway between junctions 33 and 34 only re-opening at 5pm on Sunday.

The accident happened when a Subaru Impreza collided with a Fiat Marea estate. A female passenger in the Fiat died and her husband remained in a critical condition in hospital yesterday.

A West Yorkshire police spokesman said the 25-year-old driver of the Subaru had been charged with causing death by dangerous driving and appeared before Leeds magistrates yesterday.

His 17-year-old passenger has been interviewed and released on police bail.

Updated: 10:45 Tuesday, August 30, 2005