Man arrested after pensioner killed in Christmas Day motorway crash

A man has been arrested after a pensioner died in a motorway crash on Christmas Day.

The woman – in her eighties from the Durham area – was a passenger in a white Ford Fiesta when it collided with a black Volkswagen Tiguan.

She suffered serious injuries and died at the scene of the crash shortly after 8.30 pm on the northbound carriageway between Junction 57 and Junction 58 near Darlington.

The Fiesta’s driver, a man in his eighties from the Durham area, was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition, police said.

The driver of the Volkswagen, a man in his twenties from the Durham area, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. He’s since been released, according to North Yorkshire Police.

The force has pleaded with witnesses who may have dashcam footage of the incident to come forward.

The motorway was closed until around 8 am today to allow for collision investigation and National Highways to assess the road surface.

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