A DRIVER has suffered a broken jaw during a road rage attack.

Police are now appealing for witnesses to the incident which began on the A1(M) motorway, near Chester-le-Street.

The victim, a 46-year-old from Durham City, was heading home from Northumberland in his Seat Almera on January 3 when he was involved in an incident with the driver of an E-registration Ford Escort as they came back into County Durham.

Around 5.15pm, the driver of the Almera had flashed his lights at the Escort, which was being driven erratically down the motorway.

He then left the motorway at Junction 63, drove down the slip road and pulled up at the traffic lights at the Blind Lane roundabout.

The Escort pulled up beside him and the driver, a white man in his 30s, got out and shouted at the victim before punching him in the face. The attacker then drove off when the lights changed.

After the attack, the victim was taken to the University Hospital of North Durham, where it was confirmed he had suffered a broken jaw, and was later transferred to Sunderland Royal Hospital for surgery.

Police say the Escort had the word Turbo written on the rear. Any witnesses are asked to ring PC Lynda Richardson of Durham Police on 101.