A DRIVER who died in a rush-hour accident on a busy trans-Pennine route was tonight named by police.

Julian Tinker, 41, from the Retford area of Nottinghamshire, died in the collision on the eastbound carriageway of the A66 near Bowes, County Durham at about 6.45am this morning.

The crash, which involved a lorry and six other vehicles, left debris strewn across both carriageways.

Police from County Durham and Cumbria and staff from the Highways Agency attended the scene and the road was closed in both directions between Bowes and Brough, in Cumbria for almost six hours.

The westbound carriageway re-opened at 12.45pm, and the eastbound at 2.50pm.

Phil Hughes, who lives on a farm near to the A66, saw the scene as he left for work just before 7am, but did not realise the severity of the accident.

Mr Hughes said: "I could see at least five lorries and a van parked up on the side of the eastbound carriageway and someone in a fluorescent jacket. At first I thought somebody must have broken down.

"The vehicles were just outside Three Chimneys Farm and I saw ambulances and police coming from the Cumbria side.

"It was dark, very wet and a bit windy, and there was lots of standing water on the carriageway."

A spokesman for Durham Police said the force was appealing for witnesses to the crash to call its road collision unit on 0345-6060365.