Van driver hunt continues after fatal Manchester tram crash

Police are continuing to search for a driver who fled the scene after a three-year-old girl was killed in a crash between a van and a tram in Manchester city centre.

Officers are understood to know who the offender is and are actively looking to bring him into custody.

After colliding with the tram on Saturday morning, the van ended up on the pavement where it hit the girl, officers said.

She was given emergency treatment by first responders and taken to hospital, where she died from her injuries.

Two air ambulance crews also rushed to the scene after the crash, which happened just before 10:00 GMT.

GMP said the crash was being treated as an isolated incident with no wider threat to the community.

Roads were temporarily closed around the scene near Manchester Art Gallery, while tram services also experienced major disruption.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) said it was supporting the police with the investigation.

Manchester City Council added it would make sure the family had its “full support”.

Councillor Pat Karney told BBC North West Tonight: “I can’t imagine the pain and grief that this family’s going through.”

Following public remarks on the safety of the junction, he said “it would be totally inappropriate to have a debate about it at this stage – we’re actually thinking about the family”.

“We are in a legal process so the police will make their investigation and then in the course of time, there will be a coroner’s report and any recommendations about the future of that junction will come to the council,” he said. “Obviously we’ll take that very seriously.”