Police have appealed for witnesses after an elderly man and woman died and another driver was seriously injured in a Christmas Eve crash on the A47.

The accident, which involved two cars, happened just after 2.30pm yesterday on the stretch of the road close to the turning to Wendling, between Little Fransham and Dereham.

A grey Vauxhall Astra, heading towards Norwich, was in a crash with a silver Volkswagen Polo heading in the opposite direction.

Norfolk police confirmed that a 76-year-old woman, who was a passenger in the Astra, had died at the scene.

The man who was driving that car, who was 77, was seriously injured and was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

At just after 6.45pm yesterday, Norfolk police said he too had died. Police said the pair were from the Leicester area.

A 69-year-old woman who was driving the Polo, believed to be from the Norwich area, was also badly hurt.

She was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital with injuries including two broken legs, a broken arm, broken pelvis and internal bleeding.

Ambulance crews and the air ambulance went to the scene and paramedics are understood to have used a defibrillator on one of the casualties.

Firefighters from Swaffham and Dereham were also called to the crash, with the two vehicles, which had been heading in opposite directions when they crashed, reported to be on fire.

The flames had been brought under control by 3.15pm.

The road was closed both ways between Love Lane and Dale Road and did not re-open until about 6pm.

PC Dan Curtis, from Norfolk Constabulary's Swaffham roads policing unit. appealed for witnesses to get in touch. He said he would like to hear from anyone who believes they saw either vehicle before the crash or who witnessed the accident itself.

Norfolk police said no further information about the casualties will be released at this time.

Witnesses are asked to contact PC Curtis at Norfolk Constabulary on 101.