A man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving after four members of the same family died when their car plunged into a reservoir in Mid Wales.

Police said today that a 24-year-old man from the Llanbrynmair area, near Llanidloes, has been charged with causing the deaths of four people. He will appear at Welshpool Magistrates Court next month for a preliminary hearing.

The two car crash happened on the B4518 at the Llyn Clywedog reservoir, near Llanidloes, causing one vehicle to plunge into the water.

The female driver, Denise Griffith, survived but her husband Emyr, 66, mother Phyllis Hooper, 84, and foster sons Peter Briscome and Liam Govier, both 14, died.

Mrs Griffith had managed to free herself and struggle ashore following the incident on April 20.

It is believed that the family’s Peugeot came off the road when it was being overtaken by another vehicle. The car sank 50ft into the reservoir.

The family, from Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, were believed to have been renting a nearby cottage.

Sian George, a spokeswoman for Dyfed-Powys Police, said: “A 24-year-old man from the Llanbrynmair area has been charged with four counts of causing death by dangerous driving following a road traffic collision on April 20 at Bwlch y Gle Dam, Clywedog, Llanidloes, on the B4518.

“He will be appearing at Welshpool Magistrates Court on November 22.”

After the accident emergency services began a full-scale rescue operation. Two fire crews, one from Llanidloes and one from Newtown, and rescue boats from Aberystwyth and Llanidloes began a rescue attempt.

A Sea King helicopter was sent from RAF Valley in Anglesey. Other emergency services helicopters were also involved.

Following the tragedy, Mrs Griffith praised emergency services for their efforts in attempting to rescue her family.

She said: “At this difficult time, we would just like to say we are all extremely devastated by the tragic incident on April 20.

“We are helping each other as a family and would like to thank the whole rescue team for all their hard work and efforts in rescuing our mother, my husband and the two boys. Also the kind words from our neighbours and friends.”

By Anwen Evans