Durham A1 motorway crash: Police report fatalities

Police have appealed for dashcam footage

A number of people are believed to have died in a motorway crash involving two lorries and several cars, police have said.

It happened on the northbound carriageway of the A1(M) at Bowburn, between Bradbury and Carrville, County Durham, at 18:20 BST.

The motorway has been closed in both directions.

Appealing for dashcam footage of the crash, Durham Police said there "appear to have been fatalities".

The North East Ambulance Service said it was "incredibly busy" dealing with the crash, which it warned could lead to delays in attending other emergencies in the area.

Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service said it had taken more than an hour to put out the lorry fire.

Seven crews, including Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service's Heavy Rescue Unit, had been sent to the site, it said.

"On arrival at the scene crews were faced with a multi-vehicle collision across both carriageways and a heavy goods vehicle well alight," a spokesperson said.

The Great North Air Ambulance was also deployed to transport casualties.

The motorway is expected to remain shut between junctions 60 and 62 for a number of hours and motorists are being advised to avoid the area.

Have you been affected by this story? Please share your experiences.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: