TWO men died and three other people were left seriously injured after a car crash.

Taxi driver Michael Stewart, 39, and his rear seat passenger Michael Murray, 53, died at the scene of Sunday evening's accident near Consett town centre.

They were fatally injured when the vehicle in which they were travelling was involved in a head-on crash with another car on the A692 road from Consett to The Grove, near the Morrisons roundabout.

Mr Murray's wife Margaret, also 53, suffered serious leg, back, internal and neck injuries and was initially taken to the University Hospital of North Durham before being transferred to a specialist spinal unit at Newcastle General Hospital where she was in a critical condition as The Advertiser went to press. The two other survivors of the crash were being treated at the same hospital and were said to be in a serious but stable condition.

The accident happened at about 6.50pm when the Neasham taxi, a blue Peugeot 406, crashed with a black Citroen Xantia SX Turbo diesel being driven by a 26-year-old man.

All four occupants of the taxi were trapped and it took fire crews more than an hour to cut them free. Mr Stewart, a father-of-three, of Surrey Crescent in the Moorside area of the town, and Mr Murray, of Castleside, were found to have suffered fatal injuries.

The front seat passenger, a man in his fifties from Consett, suffered back and internal injuries. The driver of the Citroen, also from the Consett area, suffered serious head injuries. Both were airlifted to Newcastle General Hospital.

The family of Mr Murray, who worked for rail repair firm Electrack in Blaydon, described him as 'a wonderful father and grandfather.'

The couple were returning home after a Sunday out when the tragedy happened.

Their children - Mark, who lives in Consett, and Lisa, who works as a nurse in Scarborough - were too upset to speak to reporters but issued a statement saying: "He was a wonderful father and grandfather who will be sadly missed by all the family.

"We now need to spend this time grieving for him and caring for our mother who remains in a critical condition."

Police are appealing for witnesses to call the accident investigation unit on (0845) 6060 365.