ACCIDENT investigators are appealing for witnesses to a four-vehicle crash at the weekend which left a driver in hospital with serious injuries.

It happened shortly before midday on Saturday on the A693 at Beamish, County Durham, by the entrance to the Top Gun paintball centre.

The vehicles involved were a Mercedes Sprinter, a Nissan Navara, a Renault Megane and a Suzuki Swift.

Police said the first three vehicles were heading east on the A693 when the Navara and the Megane slowed down to allow another vehicle to turn right into the paintball centre.

A spokesman for Durham Constabulary said: “The Sprinter then collided with the rear of the Navara which pushed it into the Megane, the Navara then crossed the centre line of the road and collided head-on with the Suzuki which was heading in the opposite direction.

“The most serious casualty was the Suzuki Swift driver, a 45-year-old man from Stanley who was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary by air ambulance. He was subsequently found to have a broken right arm, a broken pelvis and a broken ankle.

“The drivers and passengers of the other vehicles, including two young children who were in the Renault Megane were unhurt or suffered very minor injuries, none required hospital treatment.”

Any witnesses who have not already come forward are asked to contact the collision investigation unit on 0191-375-2159.