A MAN was airlifted to hospital after a crash on the A1(M).

The motorway was closed in both directions after the collision at the Bowburn Interchange at around 3pm on Thursday afternoon.

Police reopened the northbound carriageway but the southbound carriageway remained closed for several hours causing long delays.

Emergency services were called to a one vehicle collision involving a red Seat Ibiza and the Great North Air Ambulance was called out along with North-East Ambulance Service.

A spokesman for GNAA said: "We were called to help North East-Ambulance Service near Bowburn on the A1.

"We airlifted a male from the scene to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.

"He had sustained a leg injury and arrived at hospital in a stable condition."