TWO men were last night fighting for their lives after they were thrown from their car after it hit a tree.

Seconds earlier, their Vauxhall Vectra was involved in a collision with a Vauxhall Zafira and careered off the A181 near Thornley, Durham City.

One of the critically-injured men had to be anaesthetised by a Great North Air Ambulance (GNAA) doctor who was taken to the scene by the Cleveland Police helicopter after poor light grounded the GNAA chopper.

The 22-year-old driver from Sacriston, County Durham, and his 28-year-old passenger from Newcastle, were both airlifted to Middlesbrough’s The James Cook University Hospital.

The accident happened shortly before 7.50pm on Tuesday, 50 metres east of the junction with the B6291 to Cassop.

A GNAA spokeswoman said its helicopter was unable to fly in the dark, adding: “Northumbria Police helicopter was already on its way and we asked the Cleveland Police helicopter to take our doctor to the scene.”

Meanwhile, GNAA paramedics Paul Scott and Jane Peacock raced to the accident in the service’s new rapid response vehicle, arriving at 8.10pm.

Mr Scott said: “One car had been thrown across the road with the engine completely ripped out.

“The victims, who had been ejected on impact, were lying either side of the car.”

Members of Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, Durham Police and North-East Ambulance Service paramedics also attended.

Mr Scott said one man with multiple injuries to his legs and pelvis was airlifted to hospital by the Cleveland Police helicopter while the second man, suffering head, pelvis, chest and spinal injuries was anaesthetised at the scene by GNAA doctor Scott McGregor.

He was airlifted to hospital by the Northumbria force helicopter.

The 60-year-old male driver of the Zafira, and his 62-yearold woman passenger, from nearby Thornley, were taken to the University Hospital of North Durham, in Durham City, with whiplash injuries.

Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call PC Ian Haigh on 0345-60-60-365.