Mother and children killed in car crash 'witnessed by father'

A mother and two children have been killed in a crash reportedly witnessed by their father as he travelled in a separate car.

The three died when their car hit a lorry on the A361 in north Devon.

Emergency services were called to the scene near Aller Cross, close to Lankey Junction, Barnstaple, at 8.25am on Monday.

Inspector Richard McLellan, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said the father was in a different car on the same road, the BBC reported.

He said: "It would seem that a car travelling towards Barnstaple, for unknown reasons at the moment, has crossed the centre white line and hit an oncoming truck.

"Unfortunately the family were travelling in two separate cars but travelling together along this road, so dad was there at the scene as well."

The carriageway was closed in both directions to allow the air ambulance to land and motorists were advised the road was likely to remain closed all day.