The 34-year-old man died when his Honda collided with a Ford Escort on the A38.

Police said they followed the car for a short time after it failed to stop at the scene of an earlier collision near Castle Street in Taunton.

The driver of the Ford, a 32-year-old, remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital.

Earlier, at 2150 GMT, the white Honda CRX collided with a green Nissan Micra outside the Crown and Sceptre pub in Priory Bridge Rd, Taunton, at its junction with Station Road.

The two female occupants of the Nissan were slightly injured.

'Failed to stop'

The Honda was then spotted by officers shortly after 2200 GMT.

The car travelled along Castle Street but police said it failed to stop when requested.

It was then said to have travelled along Wellington Road towards Park Street before leaving Taunton on the A38 towards Wellington.

Minutes later it collided head-on with a Ford Escort being driven by a local man at Stone Gallows on the A38.

The driver of the Honda, from Taunton, was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no other occupants in the car.

The Ford driver sustained serious injuries and was taken to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton.

The busy A38 was closed for nearly eight hours to allow collision investigation officers to examine the scene.

Police want to speak to anyone who witnessed either collision or spotted the Honda while it was travelling from Station Road towards the A38.