A DRIVER and a girl have died and two young boys are recovering in hospital after their car crashed on The Bucketts Way.

Police patrolling Bucketts Way at Tugrabakh arrived at 3am at the scene where an SUV had slid down an embankment.

They found a 45-year-old man and an 11-year-old girl dead in the vehicle.

Two boys, aged eight and nine were freed and taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after being trapped in the vehicle for some time.

NSW Police Chief Inspector Timothy Bayly said the passengers and driver were all known to each other.

Police had earlier received reports of concern for the welfare of the man and the children, with officers told they might have been travelling to a relative’s home.

An investigation was launched when they failed to arrive at the property.

“The original call was made about 1am … we don’t know what time the accident actually occurred,” Chief Insp Bayly said.

The vehicle was allegedly involved in an earlier minor crash and police have called for witnesses to both events.

Bucketts Way is a 151km single-lane rural road that links Gloucester to Taree.

Police are investigating the circumstances of the crash and a report will be prepared for the coroner.

By Neve BRISSENDEN, AAP