POLICE are appealing for witnesses to a fatal road traffic accident which happened on the Rainford by-pass near St Helens at around 2.10am on Sunday morning.

Officers say that a white Ford Sierra - the only car involved in the accident - 'showed loss of control and collided with the nearside kerb and lampposts.'

It took firefighters more than an hour to free the driver, Michael Cooper (30) of Forest Road, Sutton Manor. But their efforts were in vain, as he was found to be dead on arrival at Whiston Hospital.

Anyone who witnessed the accident, which happened 150 metres south of the junction with Pasture Lane, should contact traffic police on 0151 777 6707, or 0151 777 6729.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.