AN off-duty midwife desperately battled to save the life of a one-year-old baby boy killed in a horror crash last night, which left five dead and three in hospital.

The people carrier they were travelling in was smashed into during a high speed cop chase through Sheffield, with witnesses saying at least seven police cars were in pursuit of a VW Golf.

Iqbal Khan, 69, said: "I heard a car travelling really fast and a loud bang, which I thought was fireworks.

“I had heard police sirens for quite a while in the area and there were six or seven police cars immediately on the scene of the crash.
"It’s horrific that four innocent lives have been lost.
“A midwife who lives up the road tried to resuscitate the baby. She is all shaken up at the moment.”

Another three people hurt in the smash, including a 22-year-old woman and three-year-old girl, are fighting for life in hospital - with another woman in a serious but stable condition.

One family was watching TV together when they jumped off the sofa in terror as the cars collided.

A family member said: "We heard the police sirens and then it just happened. We heard a bang.

"It was that loud we all just jumped off the sofa and opened the door.

"Everyone legged it out the house. The first police car was already there and six or seven more appeared in seconds.

"Everyone was outside. A local midwife was trying to resuscitate one of the babies. She is in a right state after finding out what happened."

Miss Khan said locals believe the family in the people carrier were Slovakian and the three men arrested in the Golf are from the Manor estate in Sheffield.

Speaking at a press conference, Sheffield District Commander Stuart Barton said: "We think they are part of two families.

"Clearly we are still working on the family makeup at the moment."

Adam Robinson, 24, a warehouse worker, said: "I heard sirens coming down the road and know the car they were chasing must have been going fast because of his load the bang was when it crashed - it sounded like a gun going off.

“I looked out of my upstairs bedroom window and saw loads of police cars that where there very rapidly. Then ambulances and fire engines arrived.”

Just before 9pm a black VW Golf - being pursued by police - travelling along Main Road crashed into a black VW Touran people carrier.

Three men travelling in the Golf, aged 23, 17 and 18, have been arrested and remain in custody.

Two men aged 35 and 50, one of whom was the driver of the Touran, a 41-year-old woman and one-year-old boy were pronounced dead at the scene.

Shopkeeper Mazen, 25, works at an off licence directly on the junction of the horrific crash scene.

He said: "When I came back this morning the road had been closed, nobody can get to the shop.

"There are more than six police cars still outside on the street.

"There are so many police. It is very shocking.

"I don't know who was involved."

The mayor of Sheffield Dan Jarvis, 45, posted on Twitter; "My thoughts are with the families of those who died and the local community in Darnall. Tragic news."

Detective Chief Inspector Jude Ashmore, said: “First and foremost, my thoughts are with the families of the victims who have lost loved ones during this incredibly tragic incident.

“A high number of resources were deployed to the scene last night, with officers from all of the emergency services working through the night and into this morning to assist.

"Our priority now is to support the victims’ families and those affected, and work hard to determine the exact circumstances around what happened.

“Main Road is expected to remain closed for most of the day as we continue to gather evidence and recover items from the scene.

“I know the local community will be shocked and saddened to hear what happened last night and we will have officers in the area today to speak to residents, should they have any questions or concerns. I’d like to thank those who helped immediately after the collision and for their support and patience during the evening

“I’d also like to ask anyone who saw what happened, or who may have dashcam footage of the collision to please get in touch with us

“Anyone with information should call 101 quoting incident number 741 of 9 November 2018.”

Due to the fact that the Golf was being pursued before the collision, a mandatory referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

IOPC regional director Miranda Biddle said: "As soon as we were informed, we sent investigators to the scene and we will be carrying out an independent investigation to establish what actions South Yorkshire Police took prior to the crash.

"This is standard procedure when lives are lost following an incident involving the police.

"By attending the scene we have been able to view dash cam footage which confirms that although a pursuit did take place prior to the crash, there is no indication that the police vehicle collided with either of the vehicles involved.

"We have also obtained initial statements from the officers involved and will gather further evidence during the course of our investigation."