THE A1 has reopened following a vehicle fire this morning. 

The motorway was closed in both directions between junction 60 at Bradbury and junction 61 at Bowburn, in County Durham, after a Mazda motorhome caught fire.

Emergency services were called to the scene on the northbound carriageway at around 8.45am.

Fire and rescue crews were able to extinguish the blaze in around 30 minutes.

Both the north and south carriageways were reopened by the Highways Agency.

An eye-witness told The Northern Echo: "There was smoke billowing across the motorway.

"There's not much left of the van so the fire must have really taken hold."

  • Scene pictures provided by Durham police and by David Coates.