A MAN has been arrested following a crash in which a car hit a lamp post and collided with a wall.

Residents described hearing a "loud bang" which awoke them from their beds.

The front end of the Ford Focus was severely damaged after the crash in the Westmoreland Street area of Darlington, shortly before midnight last night.

The driver had turned off Whessoe Road into Westmoreland Street, but lost control of the car on the corner, hitting a lamppost and colliding with a wall and railings, which form part of a block of flats.

The Northern Echo:

One local resident, who contacted The Northern Echo, said: “It woke us all up. There was a loud bang as the car crashed.

“We then heard police sirens and there was shouting.”

Police said a 53-man had been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, possession of a Class B drug (cannabis), resisting arrest, driving while unfit through drink or drugs and failing to stop for police.

A spokesman for Durham Police said: "The incident began at 11:46pm on Monday night when the driver of a Ford Focus made off from police in Darlington.

"Following a short pursuit, the vehicle crashed as it was turning from Whessoe Road on to Westmoreland Road.

"The vehicle struck a lamp post, and the driver suffered minor injuries."