Police searching for five young people who went missing on a night out in Wales have discovered three bodies.

Police in Gwent have said two other people have been taken to hospital with serious injuries.

It comes after police issued an appeal for information on the whereabouts of Sophie Russon, 20, Eve Smith, 21, and Darcy Ross, 21 – all of whom were last seen in Cardiff at around 2am on Saturday morning.

The three women, all from Newport, south Wales, had made the trip to the Welsh capital in a Volkswagen Tiguan with two men, Rafel Jeanne, 24, and Shane Loughlin, 32, both from Cardiff, who were also reported as missing.

Police have not confirmed the identities of those who have died.

A Gwent Police spokesperson said: “Following enquiries to locate five people who were reported as missing, officers have found the car they were last seen in, in the St Mellons area of Cardiff.

“The VW Tiguan was recovered just after midnight on Monday 6 March. It's believed the car was involved in a road traffic collision and came off the A48.

“Three of those who were reported missing have been found deceased, two have been taken to hospital with serious injuries.”

The spokesperson said specialist officers are “supporting the families of those involved and enquiries are ongoing”.