Driver charged after taxi passenger dies in crash

Police have asked for any witnesses to the crash to contact them "as soon as possible"

A man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving after a taxi passenger died in an early morning crash.

Lancashire Police were called to Westgate in Morecambe at about 05:45 BST on Sunday to reports of a collision between a black Fiat Punto and a white Ford Mondeo taxi.

The rear seat passenger of the taxi, a man in his 50s, was pronounced dead in hospital.

Jez Shepherd, 22, of Morecambe, has also been charged with causing death by dangerous driving and other related offences, and is due to appear before magistrates in Lancaster later.

He also faces charges of driving whilst disqualified, causing death by driving whilst uninsured, taking without consent causing death, burglary, making off without payment and driving whilst disqualified and with no insurance.

The driver of the taxi, a 31-year-old man from Morecambe, who was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving has been released on bail pending further inquiries.

Sgt Martin Wilcock of Lancashire Police said: "While a man has now been charged, I want to make it clear that our enquiries are very much ongoing."

He has urged anyone who may have seen or have footage of the crash to contact police "as soon as possible".