TWO men have been arrested after a vehicle collided with a telegraph pole in Darlington.

The red Vauxhall Astra van struck the pole in Geneva Road, around 6.20am on Sunday morning, before coming to rest against a tree.

One man, believed to be the driver, left the scene but was later arrested by police on suspicion of aggravated vehicle taking.

An 18-year-old man, understood to be the van’s passenger, was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital after suffering head injuries in the collision.

He has also been arrested on suspicion of aggravated vehicle taking.

A police spokesman said the force of the impact left wiring dangerously exposed on the telegraph pole, with BT engineers carrying out emergency repairs to make it safe.