Road in Cramlington closed after stolen van crashes with car during police chase, injuring eight people

Police were pursuing a van that had been reported stolen and that did not stop when instructed by officers to do so.

The van crashed into a car travelling north on the A1068 Fisher Lane near the Snowy Owl pub.

Fisher Lane is currently closed in both directions between Seaton Burn Roundabout at the roundabout with the A1172 Station Road near Northumberlandia. Drivers are being advised to avoid the area.

The crash happened at around 9.25am, and an air ambulance was among the emergency vehicles that responded.

Great North Air Ambulance Service critical care teams based in Penrith and Teesside had arrived on the scene by 10am to assist North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) colleagues.

A NEAS spokesperson said: "We dispatched six ambulance crews, a clinical team leader, a specialist paramedic, three crews from our hazardous area response team, and requested the support of our colleagues at the Great North Air Ambulance Service who attended by air and road.

"Four patients were taken by road to the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital and three patients were taken by road and one by air to the Royal Victoria Infirmary for further treatment."

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “Shortly after 8.40am today (Friday) police received a report that a van had been stolen from outside of an address in Newburn.

“A short time later, the vehicle was sighted travelling towards Cramlington and the occupant failed to stop when instructed by police.

“Following a short pursuit, the van was in a collision with a car on the A1068 Fisher Lane northbound, near to the Snowy Owl pub.

“Emergency services are in attendance at the scene and the road is currently closed in both directions between the A1 at Seaton Burn and A1172 Station Road.

“As is standard practice in such incidents, the collision has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

“Enquiries into the collision are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact police using the ‘Tell Us Something’ page on our website or by calling 101 quoting log NP-20230908-0225.”

An IOPC spokesperson said: “We have been notified of a road traffic incident involving Northumbria Police this morning.

“Investigators were sent to attend the scene and police post incident procedures.

“We are assessing the available information and will make a decision on the level of our involvement in due course.”