A NINE-year-old girl died and three of her three aunts were seriously injured in a car crash.

Amnah Qaiser, from Nelson, died after police said the driver lost control of the Toyota Avensis she was travelling in.

The car swerved across to the other side of the road, and collided with a grey Citroen Xsara Picasso travelling in the other direction, police said.

Amnah was pronounced dead at the scene.

Her aunts Samina Riaz, 22, Aneeba Riaz, 20, and Neeland Riaz, 16, were seriously injured in the crash and taken to Airedale General Hospital, Steeton.

Samina and Aneeba are now said to be in a "comfortable" condition. However, Neeland was said to remain in a more serious condition.

The couple who were in the Citroen car with their toddler, from Crosshills, were treated for minor injuries.

The crash happened on the A6068, which leads from Keighley to Colne, at 9pm on Saturday.

Police said Amnah had lived in Pakistan for a year after moving out from Nelson.

They said she was back in Britain visiting family in Hibson Road, Nelson.

PC Mark Mullins, of North Yorkshire's road policing unit, said: "It appears that this girl was originally from Nelson and had grown up there, but had moved to Pakistan a year ago.

"She was in the area visiting relatives when the crash happened.

"We have spent a lot of time tracing relatives in Pakistan and the UK, but we wanted to make sure everyone in her family knows what has happened before we released any further details.

"Any death on the roads is a tragedy but this is particularly terrible because of the girl's young age. All our thoughts are with her family."

Police are appealing for witnesses to the crash, and have asked anyone who saw either of the cars that night to contact them.

Anyone with information can contact PC Mullins on 01423 539726, or North Yorkshire Police's main switchboard on 0845 60 60 247.