Man arrested after woman in her 80s killed in Christmas Day motorway crash

A man has been arrested after a woman in her 80s was killed in a Christmas Day motorway crash.

The collision, involving a white Ford Fiesta and a black Volkswagen Tiguan, occurred on the A1(M) near Darlington just after 8.30pm.

North Yorkshire Police reported that the passenger in the Ford Fiesta, a woman in her 80s from Durham, sustained serious injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Ford Fiesta, a man in his 80s also from Durham, was hospitalised in a serious but stable condition.

The Volkswagen driver, a man in his 20s from Durham, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and has since been released under investigation as inquiries continue. Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage of the incident which took place on the northbound carriageway between Junction 57 (A66(M) junction) and Junction 58 (Merrybent).

The force thanked members of the public who assisted at the scene. The motorway was closed until around 8am on Thursday for collision investigators and National Highways to assess the road surface.

It has now reopened in both directions, although a lane closure remains in place, according to police.