Dramatic pictures have shown debris strewn across the verge of a County Durham road after a crash which saw seven people taken to hospital on Friday (December 23) morning.

Emergency services were called to the A177 between Sedgefield and Coxhoe at around 7.45am.

The three-vehicle collision involved a bus and two cars and left several people injured with seven taken to hospital for treatment.

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Pictures from the scene show debris strewn across the grass verge at the side of the road.

The Northern Echo: Bits of bodywork, metal and part of a number plate could be seen at the roadside.Bits of bodywork, metal and part of a number plate could be seen at the roadside. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Vehicle body work and part of a number plate can all been seen lying at the scene of the accident.

The road remained closed throughout the morning while Durham Police, the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) and County Durham and Darlington Fire Service all attended the scene.

Earlier this morning a spokesperson for NEAS said: “We were called at 7.47 to a road traffic collision on the A177 in Sedgefield.

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“We dispatched multiple resources and transported seven patients to James Cook, University Hospital of North Durham and North Tees Hospital.”

The Northern Echo:

A spokesperson for Durham Police added: "Police were called to a three-vehicle road traffic collision on the A177 between Sedgefield and Coxhoe at around 7.45am this morning (December 23).

"The incident involved a bus and two cars.

"Colleagues from the North East Ambulance Service and County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service are also on scene.

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