A DRIVER is recovering in hospital after losing control of his car.

The 28-year-old man from Eston, near Middlesbrough, suffered injuries to his chest and abdomen in the crash on Saturday morning.

Police said he was believed to have been travelling south on the A19, about half a mile south of the A179 Elwick and Hartlepool interchange, when he lost control of his Fiat Punto.

He is thought to have been driving in lane two of the dual carriageway when the car suddenly swerved.

A police spokesman said: "The driver of the vehicle lost control of the vehicle for a completely unknown reason, causing the vehicle to veer diagonally across both lanes to the near side, before colliding with a metal support post of a main directional sign."

As a result of the accident, the man was badly injured. He was trapped in the car and had to be freed by fire officers, who went to the scene with police, soon after 11.50am on Saturday.

The driver was finally cut from the wreckage and was taken to the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, where his condition was found to be less serious than at first thought.

He was being cared for on a general ward and was described as stable last night.

Police said there were no apparent witnesses to the accident. Anyone with information is urged to call Cleveland road policing unit on (01642) 301554.