A 21-year-old classroom assistant died when her car hit a street light after a collision involving another vehicle.

Anna Claire Young, of Consett, County Durham, died after losing control of her Ford Fiesta after it was involved in an accident with a Vauxhall Corsa.

It happened at 10pm on Wednesday, on the A693 road at Greencroft, near Stanley, County Durham.

Miss Young was alone in her car at the time.

The Corsa driver was an 18-year-old man from Stanley, who suffered chest and foot injuries.

He was taken to the University Hospital of North Durham, where he was detained for observation.

His passengers were a 17-year-old Stanley girl, who suffered cuts to the head, and an 18-year-old man from Craghead, near Stanley, who sustained a fractured leg. Both were also taken to the same hospital.

Miss Young worked at Harelaw Special School and had been helping out at Villa Real Special School, near Consett.

She was on the way back from The Plainsman pub, in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, when the accident happened. The avid Newcastle United fan had been at the pub to watch the Magpies match against Deportivo La Coruna.

She lived at home with her parents, company director Austin and teacher Anne, and older sister Paula, on Fairways, in Consett. She had a married sister, Caroline, and a brother, Alexander, who lives in Lancashire.

Forensic tests will be carried out to see if she had any alcohol in her system.

The A693 was closed for four hours while accident investigators tried to establish what happened and cleared up the debris.

Police are urging anyone who witnessed the crash or who may have information to call the accident investigation unit on (0845) 606 0365.