A person has died after a vehicle being followed by police collided with another vehicle in Essex.

The female passenger died at the scene on Friday, Essex Police said.

Officers had been following a vehicle which failed to stop when requested to by police shortly after 2.30am on the A13.

The vehicle being pursued by police then collided with another, resulting in the fatality, police said.

The force did not give an age for the victim or a description of the vehicles.

Essex Police said it is working with the Metropolitan Police Service who are  leading the response to the incident, and that a mandatory referral has been made to the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Chief Superintendent Stuart Hooper, Essex Police gold commander, said: “Shortly after 2.30am this morning, Friday 25 November, a vehicle failed to stop when requested by officers on the A13 in Essex.

“Officers then remained in the proximity of that vehicle as it travelled on the A13 near Rainham.

“The vehicle was then involved in a serious collision with another vehicle.

“Despite the best efforts of officers and medics at the scene, a female passenger in the second vehicle has now died.

“We are currently working with our colleagues in the Metropolitan Police Service who, at this stage, are leading the response to the incident.

“As is appropriate, we have made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office of Police Conduct which has declared an independent investigation.”