Two people taken to hospital following South Shields crash

Emergency services were called to the scene of the two vehicle crash involving a Ford B-Max and a Vauxhall Astra which took place near the Tesco supermarket at the Shaftesbury Avenue on Newcastle Road at 2pm.

Two crews from South Shields and one crew from Washington fire stations worked to free the two passengers of the Ford B-Max - a woman aged 73, and man aged 70 - who were tapped in the car.

The driver of Vauxhall, a 24-year-old woman, was uninjured.

The man and woman were taken to hospital and the 24-year-old was treated at the scene by ambulance crews but was uninjured.

The 73-year-old woman was suffering from spinal injuries and leg injuries and the man suffered from chest pains and bleeding to the wrist.

A North East Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “We were called at 1.50pm to reports of a road traffic collision on Newcastle Road.

“Three passengers were involved in the incident.

“Two ambulance crews and two crews from the Hazardous Area Response Team treated one patient at the scene.

“One passenger was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary and another passenger was taken to South Tyneside District Hospital.”

The extent of their injuries is not yet known.

Ambulance crews left the scene at 3.50pm

A Northumbria Police spokeswoman said the road heading into South Shields was closed during the incident, as was one lane on the opposite side of the carriageway, but both have since reopened.

A spokeswoman said: “We were called at 1.55pm to a two vehicle crash near to Tesco on the Shaftesbury Avenue junction.

“The vehicles were recovered at 4.45pm and the road is now reopened.

“Police are still on scene.”