Two Die on A442 in Peplow

The A442 through Peplow was closed after a car hit some trees shortly after 10:30pm last night (Monday 30 April, 2012).
According to the Shropshire Star two men travelling in a VW Golf had already died by the time police and medical teams arrived.
A doctor and three ambulances attended the scene along with fire crews from Hodnet and Market Drayton, a Rescue Tender from Wellington and a Fire Service Operational Officer from Shrewsbury.
At the time of posting (10:45am) the two men had not been named and the A442 remained closed for accident investigation work. [Update: the road was reopened at approximately 12 noon.] This is the second time this year the A442 has been closed by an accident during the morning commuting period. In January an early morning accident closed the road in the same area, whilst in July 2011 a late night collision caused a shorter closure. In Nov 2010 a man died after a head on crash along this three miles stretch of road.
Shropshire Live reports that Sergeant Nigel Webster, the senior investigating officer, has stated:

“It happened on the A442 about 200 metres Hodnet side of Peplow crossroads. The main road was closed while the emergency services worked at the scene overnight and is expected to open later this morning.
“Several witnesses have already assisted the police but we are appealing to anyone else who was travelling this stretch of the A442 at around 10.30pm last night who either saw the collision or the circumstances leading up to it, to please contact Shrewsbury police station on 101 as a matter of urgency.”

He added that the Golf was travelling towards Hodnet and is thought to have overtaken another vehicle before loosing control approaching Peplow crossroads.

“We believe that while overtaking, an unidentified vehicle travelling in the opposite direction has appeared, possibly causing the Golf to swerve. The driver of the oncoming vehicle may not be aware a collision took place.
“The driver will almost certainly be able to assist with the investigation into the circumstances and I would urge them to contact Shrewsbury police station.”

Update 2 May: The Shropshire Star website today reported that the two men who died in the crash were in their early 20s and were being named locally as Gareth Tyson, of Hodnet, and Jack Speight, of Market Drayton.
The Hodnet webteam expresses their sympathies to the families of both men.
3rd May: Shropshire Star, Tributes paid to car crash death pair.