A WOMAN died and a man was left fighting for his life after their car left the road and ploughed into a lamppost yesterday.

The woman, who was in her twenties, and had last night not been named by police, died from her injuries in hospital, just after 9am yesterday, eight hours after the crash.

She was a passenger in a car driven by a 28-year-old man, who is in a critical condition after the accident on the Cradlewell bypass, Newcastle.

Two more passengers in the blue Ford Sierra were also in a serious condition, and a third was detained in hospital over-night with minor chest injuries.

Fighfighters used cutting gear to release the driver and two other passengers from the wreckage of the vehicle, and five ambulances took the victims to Newcastle General Hospital.

Police closed the road for four hours.

Anyone with information about the crash that occurred at 12.25am should call police on (01661) 872555.