POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a 64-year-old man was killed when his car left the road and ploughed through a fence.

Victor Frederick Fletcher, of William Street, Auckland Park, near Bishop Auckland, was pronounced dead at the accident scene in Coundon at 12.45am yesterday. He suffered massive head injuries.

He was driving south on the C129 Road, in the Gurney Valley, when his Vauxhall Senator car failed to negotiate a right-hand bend and left the road, ploughing through 20 metres of fencing and going a further 45 metres through trees.

Last night, relatives of Mr Fletcher were too upset to speak about the tragedy.

Witnesses to the accident are asked to contact Durham Police Headquarters on 0191- 386 4929.