Amber Deakin: Balloons released for woman killed in police chase crash

Up to a hundred people gathered in City Park to release orange balloons on Sunday

Dozens of people have released balloons in memory of an 18-year-old woman who died when a police car chase ended in a fatal crash.

Amber Deakin was a passenger in a silver Vauxhall Vectra when it overturned on Baildon Road, Bradford, following a police pursuit on Tuesday.

Up to a hundred people gathered in City Park to release orange balloons on Sunday afternoon.

Ms Deakin's sister, Holly, said it brought "much comfort" to the family.

Amber Deakin was a mother to a 16-month-old son and "was doing amazing", her family said

"We are so overwhelmed as a family with the turn out of today," said Holly Deakin.

"And it brought so much comfort especially to my mum and dad, in seeing Amber's friends and family come together at such a difficult time to show how much she really was loved.

"We also want to take this opportunity to thank everybody for their continued support and words of comfort at this difficult time."

The teenager was a mother to a 16-month-old son.

Ms Deakin (left) was "larger than life, a great daughter and a really good mum", her mother added

A fundraising page set up for MS Deakin's (middle) family by a friend has reached almost £2,000 in donations

Ms Deakin's mum, Hayley Norton, said: "She was larger than life, a great daughter and a really good mum - even though she was young, she was doing amazing."

A fundraising page set up for the family by a friend has reached almost £2,000 in donations.

Four men and a woman were also treated for injuries sustained in the collision.

The car, which was carrying six people, was being pursued by officers after the driver failed to stop for police on Otley Road in Shipley about seven minutes before the crash, which happened at about 23:45 GMT near Pasture Road.

A 21-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and another man, 26, who was arrested in connection with the crash have since been released on bail.

The car crashed during a police pursuit on Baildon Road in Bradford on Tuesday night

West Yorkshire Police appealed for witnesses and said it wanted to speak to drivers of cars overtaken by the Vectra prior to the crash.

A referral was made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) as the vehicle was being pursued at the time of the crash, officers said.

The IOPC has since declared an independent investigation into the collision.