A1 closed due to serious collision near Newcastle

A major crash involving a number of police cars has shut the A1 on Tyneside, leading to long delays.

Five people were taken to hospital following the early morning crash, the North East Ambulance Service said.

Images from the scene near Denton, Newcastle, show four marked police vehicles badly damaged, a car on its side, and debris scattered across the northbound carriageway.

The road is closed between Swalwell, in Gateshead, and Denton, Newcastle, following the "multi-vehicle" collision at around 2.30am.

"Due to the severity of the collision a full Northumbria Police investigation is under way and they advise that it will be protracted," the Highways Agency said.

The road was expected to be closed into Wednesday afternoon (April 9).

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said:

"Shortly before 2:30am today (Wednesday) we received a report of a multi-vehicle collision on the A1 northbound near the Derwent Haugh Road junction, Gateshead.

“Emergency services are currently in attendance.

“A section of the road is closed in both directions – there are diversions in place from the Derwent Haugh Road junction northbound, and the A69 roundabout southbound.

“Motorists should use alternative routes where possible.”

A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said:

“We received a call at 2.29am on Wednesday 9 April to reports of a road traffic collision on the A1 northbound near Denton, Newcastle."

"We dispatched five ambulance crews, a specialist paramedic, a duty officer, two crews from our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) and requested support from our colleagues at the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) who attended by road."

"Five patients were transported to hospital for further treatment."

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