A MOTHER looked on in horror as two police vehicles pursued her son's Vauxhall Corsa, moments before he suffered fatal injuries when he crashed his car.

Nineteen-year-old Carl Leckie sustained a fatal chest injury in the crash on Norris Road, Sale.

His car was in collision with a parked Volkswagen Polo, and then careered into a tree and garden wall near the mini roundabout at Derbyshire Road South. The pursuit began after Carl drove off after being stopped by police.

The apprentice builder - who worked with his father Mark, aged 43 - died at Wythenshawe Hospital a short time after the crash last Wednesday night.

His mother Cathy Leckie, saw the chase as it passed the family home on Hoylake Road, Sale, where Carl lived with his parents and sisters Heather, 18, Robyn, 14, and Holly, two.

Cathy, aged 39, said: "I heard sirens and as I looked out of the window I saw Carl go past with two police cars right up behind him. I was horrified.

"It was not something that Carl would ever normally do. There was no reason for it. He had never been in trouble with the police and he was fully licensed to drive the car.

"I ran into the street to see what had happened. I ran onto Norris Road and all I could see was a police car that had cordoned off the road."

Cathy asked one of Carl's friends, who was on a bike, to ride up the long road to find out what had happened. A police officer told the friend that Carl - a former pupil at Jeff Joseph Sale Moor Technology College - had had a minor accident and suffered a minor head injury. The family went to Wythenshawe Hospital expecting to see him there, but got there before the ambulance. When the ambulance arrived they were still trying to resuscitate Carl, but were unable to save him.

The crash happened after police received a report of men fighting at 11.15pm, which Cathy says was not connected in any way to Carl. When an officer arrived at the scene everything appeared to be quiet, but the officer became suspicious of a man - Carl - who was driving past in a red Vauxhall Corsa.

Police say a second police car arrived at the scene and officers attempted to stop the Corsa.. It then stopped briefly before turning around and driving away from them.

After the crash Carl stumbled out of his car - his family believe he was trying to get away from the vehicle because he feared it could catch fire.

Cathy said: "We have no idea why he drove off from the police, we can't figure it out. We want these questions answered."

She said of her son, who had a girlfriend, Sarah Mackintosh: "He was very fun loving and generous, everybody loved him. He was also a very hard working lad."

The incident was referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) but a spokesman said the IPCC had no concerns about police actions and so the police will carry out their own investigation.

Anyone who witnessed it should call 0161 856 7761.

Carl's funeral is being held today (Thursday) at 10am at St Anne's Church, Trinity Road, Sale Moor.

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