THREE people were killed and six injured in car crashes over a 48-hour period in Bury.

Two of the dead were aspiring rugby league players with Wigan Warriors. They died after their Peugeot 106 crashed in Turton Road, Tottington, on Saturday night.

And an 18-year-old boy, Christopher John Taylor from Bury, died 24 hours earlier in Shuttleworth when a Peugeot 306 careered out of control.

The driver, Danny McLeod (36), of Willow Street, Bury, yesterday appeared in court charged with causing death by dangerous driving. He was remanded in custody. Meanwhile, police are waiting to interview the driver of a Mitsubishi Evolution sports saloon which smashed into a lamp post in Manchester Road, Bury, on Friday morning.

The driver, aged 29 from Radcliffe, and the passenger, 28-year-old Alex Kay, had to be cut free from the wreckage. They were taken to Fairfield General Hospital for treatment.

Mr Kay was later transferred to Royal Oldham Hospital's Intensive Care Unit but is now back at Fairfield where his condition is described as stable.