Police are trying to trace a man and woman who walked off from a crash in the A1261 Poplar road tunnel in east London involving a car later reported stolen.

They have been unable to trace the couple, both in their 20s, after almost 12 weeks and have issued a snapshot today of the man who failed to remain at the scene before traffic police arrived.

The image was taken by a passenger in one of three vehicles involved in the tunnel pile-up on New Year’s Eve.

A black Volkswagen Passat registration RF57 FSD—later reported as stolen from Canning Town—collided in the East India Dock Road tunnel with a grey Renault Scenic, then with a black taxi going westward towards Poplar and Limehouse.

The Passat driver, described as a black man in his 20s, and his passenger, a black woman said to have been walking with a limp, made their way out of the tunnel on foot, walking eastward back towards the Canning Town Bridge.

Two passengers from the Renault had minor injuries, a 46-year-old woman and a 15-year-old boy, and were treated at the scene by ambulance paramedics. The taxi driver was unhurt.

A passenger in the Renault was able to film the Passat driver when he returned to collect a sports bag from the crashed car.

Investigations to identify him have so far failed, Scotland Yard confirmed today, so detectives are appealing for anyone who recognises him or think they know who he is to call 07787-697872 or 07917 505771 (quoting reference 4235225/15), or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555111.