A driver died in an accident on the notorious A66 last night.

A car and a lorry were involved in a collision at the Foxhall Inn, near Ravensworth, North Yorkshire at 5.10pm.

A 37-year-old man was cut out of his car by the fire brigade, but was certified dead at the scene. The lorry driver suffered from shock, but was believed to be uninjured.

The road was closed in both directions and diversions set up from Barnard Castle and the A1, avoiding the crash scene about five miles west of Scotch Corner.

The dead man's identity was not released by police, who were trying to trace relatives.

The accident will increase calls for making the A66 between Scotch Corner and Penrith fully dual carriageway.

A safety study, commissioned by the highways agency last year, concluded that partial dualling, 50mph limits on some sections and junction improvements were the best way forward.

Consultants said dualling the road along its full length would damage the environment and be too expensive.

There were 14 fatal crashes on the Scotch Corner to Penrith stretch of the A66 between 1995 and 2000.