A MAN died and a minibus full of people with learning difficulties were taken to hospital following two separate accidents on the same stretch of road.

The normally busy A66 was closed for several hours after the crashes, which happened within an hour of each other yesterday morning.

Shortly before noon, 50-year-old Simon Elder, of Yarm, near Stockton, died when his car collided with barriers after leaving the A66 eastbound exit on to the A19 northbound near Middlesbrough.

It is thought that he had a heart attack while he was driving. Both sections of the road were closed for an hour following the accident.

"It is believed Mr Elder suffered a heart attack as he approached the slip lane of the A19 northbound in his Jaguar S Type at midday," said a Cleveland Police spokesman.

"The car then collided at low speed with barriers on the carriageway."

Earlier, 13 people from a daycare centre that provides support for vulnerable young adults were taken to hospital after a crash with a van.

The collision took place at 10.45am on the A66 westbound, near the turnoff to Preston Farm industrial estate in Stockton, causing the road to be closed for about an hour.

The back of the minibus - which was carrying clients from the Erimus Day Care Centre in Middlesbrough - was severely damaged following the smash.

Although no one was thought to have been seriously injured, one man trapped in the back of the minibus was taken to hospital with leg injuries upon being freed.

All of the other passengers were taken to hospital as a precaution.

"Because of the fact that we were dealing with such vulnerable people, it was thought best to take them to hospital as this must have been a very traumatic experience for them," said a spokesman for Cleveland Police.

Two fire engines were called to the scene, and a Cleveland Fire spokesman said: "There were nine rescues carried out by the brigade and 13 casualties transported to hospital via ambulance."

A spokesman for Erimus Day Care Centre said: "I'm not at liberty to discuss the accident. Everybody is fine."