A PEDESTRIAN was being treated for serious injuries in hospital last night after being hit by a car while walking his dog.

The 46-year-old local man, who has not been named, was struck by the car, in Shadforth, near Durham, late on Friday, and was pinned against a wall.

He suffered two broken legs and a broken arm, and was treated by paramedics before being taken to Durham's University Hospital of North Durham.

His condition was last night described as serious, but not life-threatening.

A force spokesman said that after the collision, in Church Lane, the driver of the blue Rover 214 drove away from the scene.

"Follow-up investigations led to him being arrested at his home address and he was subject to the breath test procedures."

The spokesman did not reveal the outcome of the test.

As a result of the accident, the C60 road through Shadforth was closed for more than two hours.

Red markings, made as part of the police investigation, were clearly visible to passers-by at the scene of the accident, next to a garden wall in Church Villas.

Kathleen Gilson, of the village hall association, said there have been calls for measures to improve traffic safety on the C60, particularly on the Crime Rigg Bank approach to Shadforth from Sherburn Hill. She said: "I don't know the exact circumstances of this accident, but sometimes it takes something like this for anything to be done."

Witnesses are asked to ring 0845 60 60 365, or Crimestoppers on (0800) 555111.