Multi-vehicle crash on A1 near Alnwick

The A1 between Alnwick and Denwick has reopened after a multi-vehicle crash this morning.
Emergency vehicles at the scene. Picture by Jane ColtmanEmergency vehicles at the scene. Picture by Jane Coltman
Emergency vehicles at the scene. Picture by Jane Coltman

The northbound carriageway was blocked following the crash, which is believed to have involved up to 10 vehicles.

A North East Ambulance Service spokesman said eight people were taken to hospital - four to the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital at Cramlington; one to the RVI in Newcastle; and three to Alnwick Infirmary.

The queue of traffic on the A1 north of Alnwick.The queue of traffic on the A1 north of Alnwick.
The queue of traffic on the A1 north of Alnwick.
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The road was closed for nearly three hours at the junction with the A1068 but has now reopened.

Highways England tweeted: 'We are happy to report that this incident has been cleared and the road is now open again. The weather is still challenging in places so please take care.'

The accident caused long tail-backs on the northbound A1.

Motorist Claire Thorburn said: "I was heading southbound on the A1 and could see a massive pile-up on the northbound carriageway. There were several cars involved - and they were scattered all over the road, in the central reservation and up the bank. It looked really nasty."

The scene on the A1 this morning.The scene on the A1 this morning.
The scene on the A1 this morning.

At about 10.30am, a motorist who was caught up in the queuing traffic northbound, said: "Traffic is now trickling through slowly, moving from lane to lane to avoid the crashed cars. Cars are spread over a wide area, some of them facing the wrong way.

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"It looks as though some drivers have tried to avoid the crash and become caught up in it."

The North East Ambulance Service spokesman said earlier today: “We were called at 9.16am this morning to reports of a multi-vehicle road traffic collision on the A1 at the junction with the A1068 in Alnwick.

"We dispatched 10 resources, including a community paramedic, an officer, four double crewed ambulances, one crew from our Hazardous Area Response Team, two Scheduled Transport crews and an advanced practitioner.”

At 9.53am, Highways England tweeted: '#A1 northbound #Alnwick to #Denwick Multi vehicle RTC. Injuries have been reported and a number of @NEAmbulance on scene. Road currently blocked'

A motorist who was stuck in the northbound queue reported seeing a number of police cars and ambulances heading to the scene, followed by a gritter.