POLICE are appealing for witnesses to a smash which left an east Durham man with a broken back.
The 22-year-old, from South Hetton, was a passenger in a Vauxhall Nova which was involved in a collision with a streetlight as the car joined the A19, at Easington, on Tuesday night.
The car, driven by a 23-year-old man, also from South Hetton, had reached the southbound carriageway when it apparently left the road and collided with the lamp standard.
The Nova overturned and the two men were trapped inside, before the driver was freed by motorists.
The passenger was rescued by firefighters using cutting equipment.
The driver was taken to the University Hospital of Hartlepool with a suspected broken jaw, while his passenger sustained a broken back and broken pelvis.
The carriageway was closed for four hours.
Witnesses are asked to contact the police accident investigation unit, on 0191-386 4929
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