TWO men have been charged over a crash which killed two North Yorkshire teenagers.

George Thomas Turner and Mason Pearson were both 17 when they died in a crash on the A61 between Busby Stoop and Carlton Miniott on March 7.

The crash involved a green Volkswagen Bora and a black Ford Focus, and North Yorkshire Police announced on Monday that the driver of the Volkswagen - a 23-year-old man from Thirsk - has been charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and five counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

An 18-year-old man - who was 17 at the time - who was driving a third vehicle which was not involved in the crash, but driving in company with the Volkswagen, has been charged with one count of dangerous driving.

A police spokesman said: "George and Mason were both passengers in the VW Bora. Another two passengers in the Bora, an 18-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy, were taken to hospital in a critical condition and later discharged.

"The driver and passengers of the Ford Focus, a 27-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman from outside the area were discharged from hospital following treatment. Their three-year-old daughter and a six-month old son were kept in hospital for observation before being discharged."

Both men are due to appear at Northallerton Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, December 18.