A 15-year-old boy was fighting for life last night from head injuries he suffered in a crash during a police chase in which the 20-year-old driver died.

The boy had been a front-seat passenger in a Seat Leon which smashed at high speed into the gates and wall of Keighley Business Centre in South Street after it failed to stop for police shortly after midnight on Sunday.

The boy, a pupil at the University Academy, Keighley, was described as being in a critical condition in a specialist unit at Leeds General Infirmary.

A 16-year-old boy, who was travelling in the back of the Seat, was also being treated at LGI where his condition was said to be improving.

A girl, 16, who was also in the back of the car, remained at Airedale General Hospital in Steeton. Her injuries have been described as serious but not life-threatening.

Police yesterday named the dead driver as Sayeed Iqbal, whose family live in the Stockbridge area of Keighley.

The bank worker was the only son in a family of seven siblings. He was a former pupil of Greenhead School, which is now called University Academy.

West Yorkshire Police have voluntarily referred the incident to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “The investigation into the pursuit is being led by the West Yorkshire Police Major Collision Enquiry team and is being overseen by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.”

As it involved a fatality during a police pursuit, the matter is also being probed by the force’s Professional Standards Department.

Police are still keen to hear from witnesses or from people who may have seen the car before the crash which occurred shortly after 12.20am.

They have said that an unmarked Vauxhall police car had started to follow the Seat as it was being driven along South Street towards Haworth.

The driver then turned into the Jet filling station, carried out a U-turn on the forecourt, and drove off at speed towards Keighley town centre after failing to stop for police.

Minutes later it failed to negotiate a left hand bend outside the business centre and ploughed into a metal security gate and drystone wall.

Flowers and messages of condolence have been left at the crash scene by friends of the people involved.

The family of Mr Iqbal have been left devastated by the loss of their only son, say councillors in the town who know his relatives.

Anyone who can help the police investigation should contact the Major Collision Enquiry Team at West Yorkshire Police on 0845 6060606.