POLICE have named a woman killed when her car collided with a coach.

Parminder Dhinsa, 56, was fatally injured in the accident between her black Vauxhall Corsa and the coach on the A1018 slip road on the northbound side of the A19, near Seaham, County Durham, on Monday.

A doctor-led trauma team performed emergency surgery on her at the scene of the accident, but she later died.

Ms Dhinsa, of Peterlee, was married, with two sons, aged 34 and 35 and also leaves two grandchildren.

Durham Police said she was well known in the local community, as the family owns an off-licence in Wheatley Hill and a fish and chip shop in Trimdon Station.

A spokesman said: “The family describe themselves as being “absolutely devastated” at the loss of Parminder and have been asked to be left alone to grieve.

“The collision investigation team are now appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision, which happened at approximately 11am, to come forward and speak to them.”

They are specifically appealing to the driver of a car who stopped at the scene before the police’s arrival and spoke to the driver of the coach.

Sergeant Jonathan Morgan, senior investigating officer, said: “This is an awful tragedy and our thoughts are with Parminder’s family and friends.

“I would like to appeal directly to any drivers who drove past the scene of the collision to get in touch, especially those drivers with dashcams , as the footage may be crucial to our investigation.”

Speaking on Monday, a spokeswoman for the Great North Air Ambulance (GNAAS) said a helicopter was sent to the scene, along with several ambulances from the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS).

A spokeswoman for the Great North Air Ambulance (GNAAS) said a doctor-led trauma team performed surgery on the woman at the scene of the accident.

She added: “The woman was treated en route to hospital. But despite everyone’s best efforts the patient later sadly died.

“Our thoughts are with her family and friends.”

A spokeswoman for the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service said appliances were sent to the crash from Wheatley Hill, Seaham and Peterlee.

The driver of the coach, which was empty of passengers at the time, was shaken but uninjured.

Anyone who witnessed the collision should call on 0191-375-2159 quoting incident 116 of January 23.