A WOMAN has died after the car she was travelling left the road in the early hours of this morning.

The 26-year-old, from the Sedgefield area, was travelling south on the A177 between Sedgefield and Coxhoe, County Durham, at about 12.30am when he the incident took place.

The woman was taken to hospital but later died. A 24-year-old man from the Bishop Auckland area, also travelling in the vehicle, was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

The blue VW Polo they were travelling in left the carriageway just past the former Hare and Hounds pub and collided with shrubs and undergrowth. No other vehicles were involved.

Sergeant Phil Grieve, from the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, said: “I would urge anyone who witnessed the collision or anyone who may have seen the vehicle in the area prior to the incident to contact police immediately.”

Witnesses should call 101 and ask for the collision investigation unit.