CHAOS developed as three stretches of the A1(M) were closed in County Durham following separate accidents today.

Three people were taken to hospital after the first accident which led to long tailbacks developing on the northbound side of road, known as the Durham Motorway, southwards from the Bowburn interchange.

Further problems developed later in the afternoon further south on the A1(M) with two separate accidents involving lorries turning on their sides, one northbound and the other southbound, between Aycliffe and Bradbury interchanges.

Police said the first accident arose after a collision involving two cars, travelling northbound, near junction 61, the Bowburn interchange.

One of the vehicles is believed to have continued on its way, but as a result of the collision the other car, a silver Vauxhall Astra, lost part of its engine, which collided with the central reserve.

The collision was reported to emergency services at 12.55pm, and firefighters attending the scene cut the driver free from the car.

He was air-lifted by air ambulance to James Cook University hospital in Middlesbrough suffering spinal injuries.

Two other casualties were taken by ambulance to the University Hospital of North Durham.

The northbound side of the motorway was closed between Bowburn and Carrville, junction 62, with diversions in place via the A167.

An adjacent section of the southbound side of the A1(M) was closed to allow the air ambulance helicopter to land near the accident scene.

Traffic soon built up, including many motorists heading off on breaks at the start of the Bank Holiday weekend.

The situation was compounded on both carriageways by the subsequent incidents involving hgvs landing on their sides in separate accidents between junctions 59 and 60, resulting in further temporary closures.

Further problems faced motorists heading from junction 62, the Carrville interchange, into Durham as a bus broke down blocking one of the lanes on the A690, near Leazes Bowl roundabout.