An investigation has been launched after a woman died and a man was left fighting for his life in hospital following a car crash in Wandsworth Bridge Road.

Police were chasing a car from Groom Crescent near Wandsworth Prison after reports of a drone being flown near the prison at 3.04am today. 

Officers followed the vehicle and at 3.10am, police said it was involved in a crash in Ashcombe Street at the junction of Wandsworth Bridge Road.

It is believed no other vehicle was involved. 

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A woman in her 20s, believed to be the passenger, was pronounced dead at the scene. 

The other occupant of the car, the driver, a man believed to be in his 20s, was taken to a west London hospital where he remains in a critical condition

The A217 Wandsworth Bridge Road has been closed in both directions since the crash. 

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating the actions of the police before the crash.

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An IPCC spokesman said: "The IPCC is independently investigating police actions prior to a fatal road traffic incident in south London in the early hours of Tuesday, August 9 in which a woman has died and a man has been critically injured.

"The Metropolitan Police referred the matter to the IPCC because a police vehicle was following the car involved in the collision immediately prior to the incident.

"IPCC investigators attended the scene and also the post incident procedures where the officers involved are providing their accounts.

"The investigation is in its early stages."

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A spokesman from the London Ambulance service (LAS) said: "We were called at 3.13am to reports of a road traffic collision on Wandsworth Bridge Road.

"We sent a single responder in a car, three ambulance crews, an incident response officer and an advanced paramedic to the scene, alongside our hazardous area response team and London's Air Ambulance. The first of our medics arrived on scene in four minutes.

"Sadly a woman died at the scene.

"A man was taken as a priority to a major trauma centre in south London."

Emergency services are carrying out accident investigation work at Ashcombe Street while the road is closed. 

A man, who wished to remain anonymous, who lives in in Ashcombe Street, said he woke up after the crash and saw the car on fire.

He said the car had taken out six bollards and two fences along the road, and that he could hear the driver screaming 'Help me, help me'.

He said: "I spoke to a bus driver who was behind the car and he said they had been driving at 120mph.

"The car was on fire and police had to put it out.

"The fire brigade and the ambulance arrived after.

"The police were very subdued, we were wondering where the panic was."

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Pic: HMP Wandsworth. Police were called to the prison in Earlsfield after reports of a drone being flown.

Angela Wimbledon, who lives in Ashcombe Street, said she heard the crash just after 3am this morning. 

Ms Wimbledon said: "When I left for work at 5.15am, a couple of hours later, the road had been cordoned off and there was a silver car on its side and a small blue tent was right in front of it. I'm not sure if a bike may have been involved. 

"The house that the car is outside of on Wandsworth Bridge Road itself has the front wall knocked down half way as well, I'm guessing something hit it."

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Transport for London have warned that the closure is likely to remain in place "for some time", describing an "earlier collision and police incident". 

Limited access is being allowed over the bridge, but no vehicles are being allowed to go past Ashcombe Street.

The number 28 and 295 buses are on diversion. 

The road reopened at 4.30pm.

Do you know the woman? Help us pay tribute by contacting the newsdesk on rebecca.taylor@newsquest.co.uk or call 020 8722 6335