VILLAGERS are mourning a popular member of their tight-knit community after he died in a head-on car crash near Stanley.

Graham Johnson, 32, died at the scene of the crash on Monday night. Five other people were injured.

Surrounded by cards in his Pelton Fell home near Chester-le-Street, Mr Johnson's father Richard said his son was a 'gentle giant' who was very well-known in the community.

He said: "I had to identify him and had to go back to see him three times because I couldn't let go. He was full of life, a big 23-stone lad who was a gentle giant.

"He had a lot of friends and got called 'Clicky' and 'Horse' because he was always clicking his fingers and was such a big bloke. He lit up a room and I doubt anyone would ever have a bad word to say about him. He would never have hurt so much as a fly."

Ian Lish, landlord of Mr Johnson's local pub, The Crown Inn at nearby Pelton, where he was thought to be going to play cards at the time of the accident, said: "He played on our darts team and was a very well-known guy in the area. He was very well-liked, a lovely man."

Mr Johnson, father to a two-year-old girl, Bernadette, lived at Wordsworth Avenue in Pelton Fell.

Police are appealing for witnesses of the crash, which occurred on the B6313 between Craghead and Grange Villa, near Stanley, at about 5.50pm.

The crash involved two Vauxhalls, a Cavalier heading towards Grange Villa and a Zafira, travelling towards Craghead.

Mr Johnson was a front seat passenger in the Cavalier being driven by James Hardman, 30, of Poplar Street, South Moor. Mr Hardman escaped with cuts and bruises.

The two back seat passengers were Peter Hardman, 50, of Mary Street, Annfield Plain, and Michael Marshall, 27, of Sixth Avenue, in Chester-le-Street, who were both injured.

The Zafira driver, Carol Harrison, 27, of Sylvia Terrace, Shield Row, Stanley, and her passenger, Robert Palmer, 54, of Park Road, South Moor, were both seriously hurt.

Both the Hardmans have been released from University Hospital in Durham. Robert Palmer was said to be comfortable. The two other injured people were seriously ill in hospital at the time of going to press.

Anyone with any information about the incident should call the Durham Police Accident Investigation Unit on (0191) 386 4929