A MAN has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving and causing death by dangerous driving after a farmer died when his tractor was hit by a car.

Raymond Handley, 71, was driving his tractor on the westbound A66 in County Durham at about 5.30pm on Thursday when it was hit by a black Jaguar car, travelling in the same direction.

The collision, which happened about half a mile west of the junction with Boldron, near Barnard Castle, forced the tractor off the dual carriageway, throwing Mr Handley from his seat through the back window onto the road.

The Jaguar then spun into the outside lane, hitting a Ford Focus and an Audi A4, which were also travelling west. The Focus caught fire after the driver and passenger were helped from the vehicle by another motorist.

Mr Handley, who lived on a family farm near Bowes, County Durham, suffered serious head injuries and was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital, where he later died.

The Jaguar driver – a 49-year-old man from Muirhead, in Glasgow – received minor injuries and was later arrested. He was yesterday bailed until January pending further investigations.

His only passenger, his 19- year-old son, was uninjured.

The drivers of the other cars in the accident escaped with minor injuries.

Mr Handley lived with his older sister Nancy Bainbridge, whom he cared for, as well as looking after his small herd of beef cattle.

Mrs Bainbridge last night paid tribute to him as a brother and a farmer.

“He loved being on the farm and he loved his animals,” she said of Mr Handley, who was a regular trader at Barnard Castle Auction Mart.

“He hasn’t been a brother who has travelled very far, his life has been around Teesdale.

“When my husband died he looked after me and I couldn’t have wished for anyone kinder. We have a close family and everyone is devastated.”

Mr Handley was renovating a bungalow in Barnard Castle for him and Mrs Bainbridge to move into and was on his way to the house when the accident happened.

“It was just a matter of time before we moved in,” said Mrs Bainbridge.

“We had so much planned out together and now I have nobody to share that with.”

As well as Mrs Bainbridge, Mr Handley is survived by an older brother, John, and older sister, Gladys.

Witnesses to the accident are asked to contact the police accident investigation unit on 0191-375-2159.