TWO men have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after two shooting incidents in County Durham last night.

The first took place in Humber Hill, Stanley, shortly after 6pm when a number of people in vehicles were involved in a confrontation in which shots were fired.

A silver Mercedes Benz and a black Mitsubishi 4x4 drove off and a further confrontation took place in Durham City at the county hall roundabout.

The Mitsubishi left the road and overturned.

One man was arrested in the vehicle who had injured his arm in the crash.

He was held under armed guard at the University Hospital of North Durham but was later released into police custody.

A second man in the Mercedes Benz was arrested shortly afterwards by uniformed officers near Sacriston.

Both were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

A spokesman for Durham Police said a hunt was ongoing for the other people involved in the shooting incidents in Stanley and Durham City.

As a result, the A691 past the county hall roundabout - one of the main routes into Durham - was closed off by police for a time.

* See The Northern Echo tomorrow for the full story.