THE A1 motorway has reopened after a vehicle fire in the road forced its closure this morning.

At around 7am emergency services were called to the A1(M) between Junction 60– A689 at Bradbury– and Junction 61– A688 Tursdale Road at Bowburn following reports of a vehicle on fire.

Traffic officers and County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene and a road closure was put in place for around 35 minutes. 

The fire was understood to be on the northbound carriageway but traffic was affected in both directions.

A spokesperson for Durham Constabulary said: "Police were called at 6.50am today (January 14) to reports of a car on fire on the A1M northbound just before the Bowburn junction.

"The road was completely blocked due to smoke blowing across the carriageway which caused large tailbacks. 

"However, the road has since reopened.

"Nobody was injured during the incident."