A man has died and a woman is critically injured after a police pursuit in Warwickshire.

Police said officers tried to stop a black Audi on Birmingham Road in Stratford-upon-Avon at 5.23pm on Monday but the vehicle failed to stop and drove towards the A46.

Officers then followed the car as it travelled back towards the town on the A439 Warwick Road before the vehicle collided with a white Ford Puma at 5.44pm. A number of other vehicles were also damaged during the pursuit.

The man driving the Audi was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics and the female driver of the Ford was taken to hospital where she remains in a critical condition.

The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, has launched an independent investigation after Warwickshire police made a mandatory referral “because a death had occurred following police conduct”, the force said.

The families of the victims have been informed and are being offered specialist support, police added.

Supt Steve Flavell said: “Our thoughts are with the families of everyone involved in this collision and we’re providing specialist support to them at this extremely difficult time.

“We made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct because a death had occurred following police contact. They have declared an independent investigation and we will cooperate fully with their investigation.”