A FATHER and son died after the car they they were travelling in left the road and overturned early yesterday morning.

Malcolm Gellatly, 48, of Westfield Way, Redcar, east Cleveland, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on the A177 at Bowburn, near Durham City.

His 28-year-old son, Shaun, of Park Avenue, Coxhoe, was taken by ambulance to the University Hospital of North Durham, where he was later pronounced dead.

The pair had been in the back seat of a red Rover 200, travelling south from High Shincliffe into Bowburn, near the junction with Mary Terrace, when the car left the road and overturned at about 1.20am.

The driver, a 21-year-old man from Spennymoor, County Durham, was yesterday receiving hospital treatment for head injuries.

The front seat passenger, a 20-year-old woman, also from Spennymoor, was treated for minor injuries.

A Durham Police spokesman said it was not yet known why the car left the road, and an appeal has been made for witnesses to contact the accident unit on 0191-3752159.

In a seperate incident, a motorcyclist was killed and his friend seriously injured after the bike they were travelling on collided with a wall and parked vehicle.

The incident happened at about 4.30am on Saturday in Kingsley Avenue, Hartlepool, and involved a blue Yamaha trailbike.

Both men on the bike were aged 22 and from Hartlepool. They have not been named.

One suffered serious injuries and was taken to the University Hospital of Hartlepool, where he underwent emergency surgery. His condition is not known, but is believed to be serious.

The second man died as a result of the accident. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Witnesses are asked to contact PC Nigel Robson on (01642) 301558.