POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a teenage woman driver died following a head-on collision near Ross-on-Wye.

The 18-year-old was airlifted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham after the silver Vauxhall Corsa she was driving collided with a white Vauxhall Vivaro van on the A40 between Hildersley and Weston-under-Penyard, shortly before 7.30am on Monday (March 19) morning.

A motorist who was driving towards Weston in a line of traffic behind the Vivaro said: "The van suddenly stopped and there was debris flying everywhere.

"It looked like the car came round the bend on the wrong side of the road, hit the van side-on and then bounced right up onto the high-raised kerbs into the hedge. I don’t know if the car skidded on ice following the snow, but the passenger side was all smashed in.

"The van driver got out and was clutching his stomach. It was a horrifying scene."

Paramedics found the teenager in cardiac arrest, and although they managed to restart her heart, she died later in hospital. The van driver, a man in his 30s, was taken to Hereford Hospital for treatment and later discharged.

West Mercia Police are appealing for witnesses who may have seen the crash or either car before the accident, and particularly want to trace a nurse who helped administer first aid before emergency services arrived.

The Corsa was travelling in the direction of Ross-on-Wye, while the van was heading east towards Weston-under-Penyard when the collision happened.

Sergeant Andy Wortley said: "We are appealing to anyone who witnessed the collision, or to anyone who may have seen either vehicle prior to the incident taking place to please come forward.

"It is thought that prior to police attending the scene, an off-duty female nurse assisted in offering first aid. We would also like to speak with her as she may be able to assist with enquiries. If you have any information, please call 101 quoting incident 59s of 19 March 2018."

The road was closed until 1.15pm while police carried out investigations and the scene was cleared.

A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service, speaking before the teenager’s death was confirmed, said: “On arrival, crews discovered the car driver, a woman, in cardiac arrest.

"Ambulance staff immediately began CPR and administered advanced life support. They successfully managed to restart her heart before she was airlifted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. Emergency treatment continued en-route to hospital."

The 18-year-old’s next of kin have been informed.