A WOMAN was killed and her friend is fighting for her life after the car in which they were travelling hit a tree.

The 23-year-old female driver was pronounced dead at the scene in Chester Road, near Aldford, about 4am today (October 22) after the tree flattened the roof of the red Rover 25 MG hatchback.

Her 20-year-old female passenger was released by firefighters using hydraulic-cutting equipment. She was taken by ambulance to the Countess of Chester Hospital where she is being treated for serious internal injuries. Both are believed to be from the Neston area.

Two males in a car stopped at the scene shortly afterwards and rang the emergency services from a mobile phone. Two ambulances attended.

Paramedics attempted to resuscitate the deceased woman but to no avail. A search was made of the surrounding area using a thermal imaging camera in case a third person had been flung from the wreckage but this proved not to be the case.

Police closed the road to deal with the incident and enable an investigation to be carried out.

Firefighter Jim Payne of Chester Fire Station said the car had left the road and had been subjected to a heavy impact on its side and roof. He said there was no obvious reason as to what had caused the accident which happened on a straight section of road which was dry and free of mud. Firefighter Payne said police were working on an undisclosed theory as to what caused the accident.

This was the first fatal incident ever attended by three new firefighters who were debriefed afterwards to help them deal with the upsetting nature of the collision.

Witnesses who may have seen the car being driven prior to the accident are asked to call Sergeant Rachel Gallagher or Sergeant Dave Harrison at Cheshire police on 01244 613163.