EXPERTS were today studying the car in which four men were killed in a bid for vital clues to the tragedy.

Police and vehicle recovery crews retrieved the badly crushed BMW during a three-and-a-half hour operation yesterday afternoon.

Superintendent Nigel Russell said from the scene: "Because of the location of the car, we had to drop a large cable over the embankment and hoist it to the top of the bank.

"We tried to keep it intact and interfere as little as possible." The BMW was taken to a storage site last night for vehicle collision experts to examine.

A Gwent Police spokeswoman said Blaenau Gwent council officers put up temporary repairs at the damaged barrier.

The road was re-opened to traffic last night.

Onlookers saw the car, which was crushed down to the height of the tyres, lifted up over the quarry face edge at around 6pm.

Two heavy rescue vehicles were used to winch the BMW up the 100ft-cliff face.

One witness said: "The car was almost flat. "There was no way they could survive. It was crushed to just above the wheels. The doors have been crushed down.

"The windscreen was all smashed and you could see where the firemen had to cut open the side of the car."

A bunch of flowers left at the scene had a card that read: "Karl and Alex will be sadly missed. In our thoughts always. Sleep tight, God bless." Residents remained stunned last night and called for stronger barriers to be installed along the road.

Sharon Creese, from Kier Hardie Terrace, Swffryd, said: "This is a total tragedy.

"Something has to be done now. "We need bigger barriers and more warning signs for people who are not from this area."

Anthony Protheroe, also of Kier Hardie Crescent, said: "This is devastating. We are a close community. Something needs to be done about the barrier."

His father Russell Protheroe, said: "If there was more warning about the quarry, the barriers and the bend, then lives could have been saved. "It's sad that it may take a tragedy to do something about this. The barrier should have been changed ages ago."

Kathryn Blanche, from Swffryd, said: "I was going to the shop and the car went passed.

"One of the boys in the back looked at me. When I close my eyes I still see his face. It's a terrible tragedy."

Natalie Pearce, of Rectory Road, Swffryd, said: "I feel sick to the stomach and my heart goes out to the families.

"I understand what they are going through as I had a tragedy around this time last year my brother, Dorian Foxwell, died of a heroin overdose."

Mother-of-two Sandra Lewis, 41, from Kier Hardie Terrace, said she saw a dark-coloured BMW drive along her road shortly before the accident. She said: "I haven't been able to take my kids to school as they were up all night because of all the police activity."