EMERGENCY services have fully reopened the A19 following a serious crash involving a motorbike.

The Great North Air Ambulance Service landed their helicopter on the A19 southbound lanes at the A174 junction between the A174 Parkway interchange and the A1130 Mandale Road at Thornaby and Middlesbrough on Saturday morning.

The southbound carriageway was reopened at around 2pm with the northbound carriageway of the A19 now full open to road users who experiences severe delays.

A diversion was set up for motorists, however Highways England vreported “heavy congestion” and that anyone intending on travelling in the area can expect delays.

The Northern Echo: EMERGENCY: Medics from the Great North Air Ambulance Service have been dispatched to the incident, with the helicopter landing on the southbound carriageway of the A174EMERGENCY: Medics from the Great North Air Ambulance Service have been dispatched to the incident, with the helicopter landing on the southbound carriageway of the A174

Delays were expected for supporters travelling to Middlesbrough FC's home game at the Riverside Stadium this afternoon, as well as those making their way to the Stadium of Light for Sunderland's match against Portsmouth.

The serious incident was first reported shortly before 11am on Saturday morning with motorists limited to speeds of around 10mph in the area.

The crash comes a little more than 24 hours after a man was killed on the A66 after the horsebox he was driving was involved in a multi-vehicle crash.

Tributes have been paid to Tom Harker who was named as the horsebox driver by Durham Police on Friday night.