AN urgent inquiry into police driving standards has been demanded by an MP after a high-speed chase which led to three people being killed.
The latest victims died when their car smashed into a garden wall in Oldham as it sped away from officers in a patrol car after jumping a red light.
The M.E.N. can reveal the two men who died in the horror crash were Christopher Morrison, 23, and 30-year-old driver Paul Bunting.
The woman who died can be named today as Cassie Fox, believed to be from Monsall, Manchester. Police have confirmed that her next of kin have been notified.
Hundreds of her friends have posted tributes to her on the social networking site Facebook.
Madeline Brodie wrote: "Goodnight, godbless Cassie. You were too young to die, keep your mum strong and get her through this. I know you will be looking down making sure everyone is coping. God look after her she is an angel."
Carly Mcmillan added: "r.i.p cassie god rest your soul, heartfelt sympathy to all your family and friends xx"
Another woman in the car is fighting for her life.
The deaths bring the total number of crashes involving GMP vehicles to 27 in six years - the second-highest in Britain.
Blackley MP Graham Stringer has now called for a probe into the force's driving standards.
"If Greater Manchester's figures are significantly higher than anywhere else," said Mr Stringer, "then there needs to be an investigation into that.
"The purpose of having a helicopter is to reduce police pursuits and you would have expected the numbers to have gone down.
"If they are higher, there is obviously cause for concern and there should be an inquiry."
Concern
An Independent Police Complaints Commission investigation into the crash has already been launched.
A patrol car had followed the Vauxhall Vectra for about two miles before it smashed into a garden wall in Chadderton.
It is understood footage of the pursuit was captured on the patrol car's on-board camera.
The incident started when an on-duty car spotted the Vectra jump a red light at Mumps roundabout, close to Oldham town centre shortly after 3.30am yesterday (Sunday).
It pulled the vehicle over on nearby Oldham Way. But before the officer could get out of his fully-marked BMW, the car drove off across the bypass.
The police pursued the car along the dual carriageway and down on to Middleton Road.
The Vectra, which police say was travelling at high speeds, then hit a bump in the road at its junction with Broadway and shot into the air.
The driver lost control and the car mounted the pavement before spinning 100 yards along the road on its side. It then slammed into the garden wall and flipped on to its roof.
Slammed
Residents on the busy main road, opposite Chadderton cemetery, spoke of hearing a `sickening bang'. Mr Bunting, Mr Morrison and Miss Fox died at the scene.
It is thought the two women, both in their early 20s, may have accepted a lift after leaving a nightclub.
The Vectra was a hire car believed to have been on long-term loan to Mr Bunting.
Supt Alan Greene, head of GMP's roads policing unit, said the police patrol car was about 200 yards behind the Vectra when it crashed.
He added: "The vehicle was going at considerable speed, so much so that the police car could not keep up with it.
"The speeds involved were really quite considerable."
A tribute page to Christopher was set up last night on networking website Facebook.
Friend Stacey Ascott said: "RIP Little Mo. We still can't believe we'll never see your rosy cheeks again. So young and full of life, such a sad sad loss. You will be so missed by many."
Family's tribute to crash victim
How the M.E.N. broke the story
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So already stressed and upset police officers have to be put through the mill? All because someone decided to use a car recklessly for their own excitement/fantasy, and predictably killed himself and his passengers in the process.
Just look at that mess! There can be nobody else culpable, other than the person who was at that wheel, who threw all human responsibility to the wind.
But let's see who we can blame, even those who were carrying out their tasks of trying to protect the public! I wouldn't do that thankless job for ten thousand pounds a week. It's always you - up against the rest of the world. I'd sooner stack shelves or collect supermarket trollies for a living.
Why are police driving standards to be investigated? - it is the person who decided that he wanted to be chased that crashed and robbed two others of their lives and seriously hurt a third. The questions should be why didnt he stop and what did he have to hide? For once I have some sympathy for the GMP.
I cant believe they are trying to scapegoat the police........!?!?!?
They car speed away from the police at highspeed......?!?
They were obviously doing something the shouldnt have been.....?!?!?
I stand by the poice 110%
....Its time to show them that the decent folk are not going to take it anyomre
Mr Stringer - the helicopter cannot be everywhere at once. No review of police driving standards is needed - this accident was caused by one reason - the driver of the offending vehicle failing to stop and driving off at high speed.
Stop trying to blame the Police for trying to do their job.
It really annoys me that when these incidents are reported , the talk is all about "the victims" or police driving standards.
The driver broke the law by going through a red light, after being correctly stopped by the police , the driver chose to drive off. All subsequent events are a direct result of the drivers actions and not that of the police correctly performing their duties.
Surely the blame lies with the driver that refused to stop for the police.
No doubt Health and Safety will advise it's better to not pursue vehicles any more.
Also no doubt the people who were killed were fantsatic lads who made one mistake.
If I was pulled over I would stop, not drive off. If you do then whatever happens is in your hands
How can there be victims if they sped off from a police car at high speed?
if theres anyone to blame its themselves.
"No doubt Health and Safety will advise it's better to not pursue vehicles any more.
Also no doubt the people who were killed were fantsatic lads who made one mistake."
+1, it's farcical.
The Police can't be held accountable for stupidity, they chose to drive away - as Big Vern says what happened was in their hands.
a tragic loss but the driver of the vectra car is totally to blame for what happened
Would there have also been a probe in to these people if they had crashed in to another vehicle when jumping the red light - and the police just happened to be nearby? That act in itself could've proved fatal to the car occupants AND those in an vehicle crashed in to!
The driver - who I am surprised to find out is 30 and, therefore, should know better! - is the only one responsible for these deaths.
I feel som compassion for the families of those gone - I'm sure they didn't deserve to have such a tragedy thrust upon them.
Did you you that H&S prevenst the police chasing someone on a motorbike who isn't wearing a helmet in case he/she falls off?
no ned to say anymore, Big Vern hits the nail on the head for me.
Graham Stringer you are pathetic.. If was doing nothing wrong, that means within in the law; which your useless government doe not understand. He would not have sped away and crashed. Your lot, the labour gov; have handcuffed the police from doing here job correctly. If you did't pile them up with paper work and ludicrous policies and maybe provide many helicopters there job could be done correctly. The only thing worse than policing under the labour government is your justice system. Oh and of course the NHS!
It's becoming too easy to keep blaming the Police for this sort of thing. If they had mowed some pedestrians down by driving off they way they did, would the Police still be at fault? They weren't going at 28mph, from looking at the devastation.
With out being disrespectful.
When being asked to stop by the police you have to options.
STOP, or Carry on..
Carry on and face the concequences of you actions, dont blame the police..
This man can blame him self for the upset to his family and others...
Nothing to do with the police,...
As many people complain, they are here to catch criminals
I am sorry that 3 people died in the accident for no reasons at all.
When pulled over by the police is not worth the death of 2 of your friends & yourself and now the police have to take the blame.
The MP has got it wrong again, it is about time he got with it, understands what is going on and why people do what they do, then he might understand why we do not understand half the things the government do, as we do not understand what they do.
GMP can hold their heads high on this one, but they will take the officer off driving duties until it is fully investigated.
As everyone else so far has said, why are the Police to blame?
The only person to blame for this is the Vectra driver. He drove off at high speed, endangering himself, his passenges and any other road users he might have encountered.
I wonder why he ran? Perhaps he didn't fancy facing a breathalyser.
Let me get this straight: the police pull up a driver caught red-handed after jumping the red lights; the driver chooses to speed off; the police gets the blame for the consequences...??? Of course any police pursuit entails a risk to the public, to themselves and to the crooks or yobs being chased. This isn't the first case. The idea that the risk of a pursuit isn't worth it conveniently forgets that enforcement of this kind (by officers, on patrol) makes roads safer.
The enquiry should be into why the drivers of the vehicle drove away from the police car at high speed.
Judging by 'ALL' the comments, so far.
Nobody considers the police at fault, surely common sense should prevail, sadly a tragedy, which should never of happened.
But the person at fault was the driver of the Vectra, he ran a red light and failed to stop when requested, then drove off at speed
Take note of the comments below Mr Stringer. May I suggest you get your own house in order before you start passing comment on things you obviously know little or nothing about. But then again you are a politician so I guess that is your speciality!.
What a terrible tragedy for all concerned, but you can't really blame the police. If you run a red light and try to escape from them you can't expect a happy ending.
Urgent inquiry into police driving standards???
Some bloke has killed 2 people and seriously injured another and some nutcase wants an urgent inquiry into police driving standards.
I think we need an urgent inquiry into why this MP is in office.
May those who have lost their lives all Rest in Peace.