A DRIVER has been left with serious injuries after his car crashed into a tree.

The 29-year-old driver was airlifted to hospital after the accident, near Lanchester, on Wednesday morning.

He was driving a LandRover Freelander northbound on Humber Hill Lane shortly before 7.30am, when it failed to negotiate a bend near to Humber House and crashed into a tree.

The driver, who comes from the Bishop Auckland area, was trapped in the vehicle and cut free by firefighters from County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service before being taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle by air ambulance.

No other vehicles were involved in the incident.

Police are appealing for any witnesses to come forward.

Anyone with information is asked to call Durham Constabulary’s roads policing unit on 101 or the accident investigation unit direct on 0191-375 2159.