A MAN has died and another man fighting for his life in hospital following a head-on crash in Weardale on Monday.

A Durham Police spokesperson said: "Police are appealing for witnesses after a man died following a head-on collision near Wolsingham.

"The accident happened on the A689 at Harperley Bank, between Harperley and Wolsingham, at about 5.25pm yesterday.

"The 48-year-old driver of a Peugeot Bipper van was pronounced dead at the scene.

"A 42-year-old man, who was driving a Volkswagen Passat, was taken to the Freeman Hospital, in Newcastle, with life-threatening injuries."

A spokesperson for the North East Ambulance Service said: "We were called at 5.30pm to reports of a road traffic collision between a car and a van on the A689.

"We sent an officer, two ambulances, one of our Hazardous Area Response Team, a community paramedic and requested the support of the Great North Air Ambulance, who sent two helicopters. 

"One patient was transported to hospital by air in a critical condition."

A spokesperson for the Great North Air Ambulance said: "We were called to the scene at 5.30pm on Monday. 

"As our aircraft from Durham Tees Valley Airport was en route and more information was coming through, we activated a second aircraft from near Penrith, due to the severity of the incident. 

"The crew from the North East landed and treated two patients, one of which was flown to hospital for emergency care.

"The other aircraft was stood down just before arrival at the scene and returned to base."

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has Dash Cam footage is asked to contact Durham Constabulary on 101, quoting incident reference 349 of July 15.