A man has been arrested after a crash at the notorious Kinninvie Crossroads left a woman in her 60s seriously injured.
The crash happened on the B6279 at Kinninvie, near Barnard Castle shortly before 9am on Tuesday (October 13).
B6279 crossroads at Kinninvie, Barnard Castle (Image: Sarah Caldecott)
A BMW and an Audi collided before one of the cars smashed into a house, police said.
The Audi driver, a woman in her 60s, suffered serious injuries and was flown to James Cook University Hospital.
The BMW driver, a 35-year-old man, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He remains in custody at this time.
GNAAS airlifted the woman to hospital (Image: Sarah Caldecott)
Emergency services, including fire crews and the Great North Air Ambulance Service, were called to the scene.
The road was closed in both directions for several hours while crash scene investigations took place. It has since reopened.
Police in Barnard Castle after a serious crash this morning. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)
Pictures showed extensive damage to one vehicle as emergency crews remained at the crossroads.
Pictures show debris on the crossroads following the crash. (Image: Sarah Caldecott)
Pictures show damage to house on the crossroads following the crash. (Image: Sarah Caldecott)
The corner of a house at the crossroads suffered extensive damage in the crash.
Kinninvie has been the site of several serious incidents in recent years, prompting repeated concerns about safety at the junction.
In February 2023, a car ploughed through the wall of the same house, leaving a gaping hole and destroying the family’s dining room.
Durham County Council added additional safety measures in 2023. (Image: Sarah Caldecott)
The crash prompted calls for improved safety measures, with Durham County Council later introducing stop signs, new road markings, high-friction surfacing, additional signage and a vehicle-activated warning sign.
However, the homeowner said at the time that the changes did not go far enough to make his family feel safe.