AN elderly pedestrian died on a North-East road at the weekend a few weeks before a bypass is due to be built.

Campaigners for the £5m West Auckland bypass, in County Durham, said that Sunday evening's tragedy proved how much it is needed.

Malcolm Bowron, 69, who lived in St Helen Auckland, was crossing the A688 at the junction of Manor Road and Woodhouse Lane when he was struck by a Vauxhall Nova.

He died later the same night in Darlington Memorial Hospital. Police said the four people in the Nova were treated for shock and the road was closed for three hours.

Work could start on the new road as early as April. It was given approval at the end of last year following a public inquiry.

But St Helen councillor Sonny Douthwaite revealed that, as late as last week, he feared the bypass could have been a victim of budget cuts being considered by Durham County Council's cabinet.

However, he said he had been assured that it had not been withdrawn from the highways programme.

He said: "This sad death is another statistic which proves that the road is needed. There have been many accidents over the years. It is a real blackspot.

"This old chap was crossing the road to catch a bus, as he often did. It is a tragedy."

Accident investigators are appealing for witnesses to the accident, which happened at 6.45pm, to contact 0191-375 2159.