TRIBUTES have been paid to a teenage driver killed in a crash on the A688 near Staindrop on Friday night.

The accident involved a Subaru Forrester at Barford Corner.

Police said a 17-year-old youth who was driving the vehicle towards Staindrop was killed when it crashed off the road at 10.17pm.

A police spokesperson said: "Officers are appealing for anyone who may have seen the vehicle prior to the collision, or witnessed the collision, to contact PC Benson or PC Ross CDSOU, by contacting 101 and quoting incident 540 of May 29th."

Barford Corner, a narrow turn, has been the scene of many serious accidents over the years.

The death crash came less than five weeks after 34-year-old father-of-three Paul Armstrong, also from Cockfield, died just a mile down the road when his Ford Mondeo crashed near Dunhouse Quarry during the early hours of Sunday, April 26.


At the request of his family, The Northern Echo has agreed not to name the latest victim until he is officially identified by police.


Over the weekend friends and family visited the site of the collision to leave floral tributes to him.


Other tributes from friends read: “You were like a brother to me. You stuck up for me no matter what. Fly high best mate” and “Always remember the laughs we used to have, gone far too soon. Love you lad.”