Seven police officers were taken to hospital following a horror crash on the A1 this morning. Northumbria Police also revealed two people have been arrested.
The stretch of road was closed following what police have called a “multi-vehicle crash“, which took place at around 2.30am near Denton, Newcastle. Shocking pictures show four damaged marked police cars as well as an unmarked police car on its side. The black BMW on the scene, in front of the marked police cars, is believed to be a civilian car.
Northumbria Police has now confirmed an investigation is under way after their officers were involved in a collision during a pursuit. The force said specialist officers from the Roads Policing Unit were sent to the area and at 2.25am got behind a car, and a pursuit was authorised. At 2.27am the car and five police vehicles were involved in a collision on the A1 near the Derwent Haugh Road junction.
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An aerial image shows a deserted chunk of the A1 at the scene of the collision after it was closed for more than 12 hours today.
The closure triggered major traffic and significant delays on approach to the closure in both directions. The A19 to the east of Newcastle was left heavily congested, with traffic from further afield using it as an alternative to the A1.
National Highways announced the A1 had re-opened in both directions at 2:54pm.
A serious crash on the A1 involving multiple police cars in Newcastle saw seven police officers rushed to hospital and two people arrested.
A large chunk of the road was closed in both directions between Swalwell and Denton for around 13 hours, due to extensive police investigation work. Photographs from the scene show multiple police cars with significant damage in the middle of the road, and a large amount of debris attended to by recovery crews.
A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: “Shortly before 2:30am today (Wednesday) we received a report of a multi-vehicle collision on the A1 northbound near the Derwent Haugh Road junction, Gateshead. Emergency services are currently in attendance. A section of the road is closed in both directions, there are diversions in place from the Derwent Haugh Road junction northbound, and the A69 roundabout southbound.”
The North East Ambulance Service confirmed five patients were transported to hospital as a result of the serious collision. The Great North Air Ambulance was also called to the scene. The impact of the crash is being widely felt, with major congestion on the Scotswood Road and other parts of the A1.
Police arrested a man in his 20s on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. A woman, also aged in her 20s, was arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting dangerous driving. Both remain in police custody.
In their latest update, Northumbria Police said of the seven officers taken to hospital, four have been discharged, two remain for observation and a one is receiving treatment to a leg injury. The A1 re-opened on both sides at around 3pm this afternoon.
A huge recovery operation was launched this morning with specialist collision investigators on scene. Workers were pictured lifting damaged cars away from the scene on large transporter trucks.
A reporter at the scene of the collision saw an “extensively damaged” BMW and debris strewn across A1 in the aftermath of this morning’s crash.
BBC Look North’s Mark Denten, while at the location, said there was a black 4×4 lying on its side, with debris strewn across the tarmac. He also said there were four marked police cars involved in the collision, and that one of them, sat a short distance down the road, appeared to have sustained the most serious damage.
Police were earlier pictured recovering evidence from the scene of the crash as they announced they would be launching an investigation.
A dark grey BMW M Sport was being pursued after it failed to stop, police said. Moments later, it was involved in a collision with five police cars.
Northumbria Police said on X: “We’ve launched an investigation after our officers were involved in a collision during a pursuit. The incident happened on the northbound section of the A1 near the Derwent Haugh Road junction in Gateshead, shortly before 2.30am today.
“A dark grey BMW M Sport was being pursued after it failed to stop. During the short pursuit, the car and five police vehicles were involved in a collision. Five police vehicles were involved, with seven of our officers taken to hospital. Four have been discharged, two remain for observation and a one is receiving treatment to a leg injury. We wish them all a full recovery. Two occupants of the BMW were uninjured.”
The crash occured within two minutes of a police pursuit, according to the timeline of events reported. Emergency service crews, including an air ambulance, were on scene in less than ten minutes. Here is a minute by minute timeline of the horror collision as it unfolded:
Seven police officers were taken to hospital and two people were also arrested by officers during this time.
Shocking images taken in the aftermath of the crash show at least four badly damaged marked police cars, with one almost completely flattened. An unmarked black vehilce was also pictured crushed on its sideand surrounded by investigating officers.
The Tyne Tunnel account on X has warned drivers in the area that traffic may continue despite the A1 re-opening at around 3pm this afternoon.
It said: “The A1, junction 73 to junction 75 is now fully open. Tunnel traffic may still be busier than usual. Please allow extra time for your journey.”
Police earlier arrested a man in his 20s on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
A woman, also aged in her 20s, was arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting dangerous driving.
Both remain in police custody at this time and there have been no further updates from the force.
Police have urged anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage of the A1 collision to come forward and assist them in their investigation.
The force were joined by crash investigators at the scene earlier this morning, where multiple officers were left seriously injured. Superintendent Michelle Caisley said: “An investigation is under way to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident and ask anyone with information that may assist us to come forward. We would also ask people to avoid speculation both online and in the community which could impact the investigation.
“We recognise this incident has caused significant delays and thank motorists for their patience. The road closure has been necessary in order for our collision investigation team to conduct their enquiries.”
Members of the public can direct message Northumbria Police on social media, or use the live chat or report forms on the Force’s website. Police are especially wanting to hear from those with CCTV or dashcam of the collision or the events leading up to this, including footage of the BMW.
Those with footage can upload it via Northumbria Police’s online portal. Witnesses may also call 101 quoting the reference number NP-20250409-0047.
Northumbria Police said officers had tried to stop a car in the Whickham area of Gateshead at around 2am due to concerns over the way it was being driven.
A pursuit was authorised when the car was sighted a few minutes later, at around 2.25am – but just two minutes in, the vehicle, and five police cars, were involved in the collision, the force said.
A black BMW at the scene, believed to be a civilian car, was carrying two occupants who were uninjured.
One local said scenes from this morning’s crash were “absolute carnage”. Speaking to the BBC, he said: “You could hear a helicopter through the night, it was very strange, I knew something big had happened as I’ve been stuck in the traffic.” Another said she was in “disbelief” at the incident.
“I live round the corner and at 3am all we could hear was helicopters going around. I came down to see the crash this morning and I’m shock, disbelief, I just hope everyone’s OK.” she said.
Northumbria Police said seven officers were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries following this morning’s crash.
Four have subsequently been discharged, two of the remaining three are still there for observation and one is being treated for a leg injury.
National Highways has said the A1 is now open in both directions between J73 Swalwell and J75 Denton, Tyne and Wear.
This followed a closure of more than 12 hours which sparked major congestion on the Scotswood Road and other parts of the A1.
UPDATE:
The #A1 is now OPEN in both directions between J73 #Swalwell and J75 #Denton #TyneAndWear.
Thank you for your patience. pic.twitter.com/FbnOTubwmt
A police detection dog was sent to the scene of today’s crash as investigations continued today, with one pooch seen sniffing around a dark coloured BMW.
The vehicle was wedged between the marked police cars when the dog was deployed.
The latest pictures from the scene show police continuing with the cleanup, with a black BMW seen being loaded onto the back of a flatbed truck.
National Highways still expects the road is unlikely to be clear until around 7pm.
A man in his 20s has been arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
A woman, also aged in her 20s, has been arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting dangerous driving. Both remain in police custody at this time.
Police have called on members of the public to come forward in a major public appeal following news that two people were arrested after the crash.
Supt Michelle Caisley, from Northumbria Police, said: “Firstly, we want to wish all the officers who have been involved in the collision a full recovery. We would also like to thank all those who attended the scene, including our colleagues from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service and the North East Ambulance Service.
“An investigation is under way to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident and ask anyone with information that may assist us to come forward. We would also ask people to avoid speculation both online and in the community which could impact the investigation.
“We recognise this incident has caused significant delays and thank motorists for their patience. The road closure has been necessary in order for our collision investigation team to conduct their enquiries.”
Northumbria Police confirmed an investigation is under way after their officers were involved in a collision during a pursuit.
At about 2am, the force said officers attempted to stop a car in the Whickham area of Gateshead due to concerns “about the manner it was being driven”. The dark grey BMW M Sport was allegedly then driven off. It was later sighted in the Swalwell area. Specialist officers from the Force’s Roads Policing Unit were sent to the area and at 2.25am got behind the car before a pursuit was authorised.
At 2.27am the car and five police vehicles were involved in a collision on the A1 near the Derwent Haugh Road junction. Seven officers were taken to hospital, with what were described as non-life threatening injuries. Four have been discharged, two remain for observation and one is receiving treatment to a leg injury. Two occupants of the BMW were uninjured.
Northumbria Police has revealed in a major update on the crash that seven police officers were taken to hospital following this morning’s collision, and two people were arrested over the incident.
Police have been pictured at the scene of the crash bundling high-visibility uniforms into a clear plastic bag.
The scene follows reports that an officer was “seriously injured” following the smash.
The flatbed truck brought to the scene of the crash earlier has now been put to work removing the battered police cars from the road.
Residents living nearby the stretch of the A1 where the crash took place this morning have spoken out for the first time hours after the incident.
One local, who lived nearby but declined to be named, said: “We heard the bang just after 2am but we did not come out to see it. I assumed there had been a crash on the motorway.” Another woman said it had happened “in the middle of the night”. “I didn’t wake up, some of the neighbours heard it,” she said.
“Looking at the aftermath, there has clearly been a high speed collision.”
At least one officer involved in the crash is understood to have been seriously injured, the Mirror can report.
Police were said to have been in a high speed pursuit when the accident happened shortly before 2.30am today, with multiple marked – an one unmarked – police vehicles believed to have been involved.
Northumbria Police has declined to comment on the report of a serious injury resulting from the smash.
Highways England has said the section of the A1 shuttered following the crash today may not reopen until an hour after initially expected.
The organisation earlier said the area would clear at around 6pm, but now states this is expected “between 7.15pm and 7.30pm on April 9”.
The latest pictures from the scene on the A1 show that police hve started extracting pieces of wreckage following the crash, with a flatbed truck seen on standby this afternoon.
The closure on the A1 this morning has now lasted for a staggering 10 hours.
Police and ambulances arrived on the scene today at around 2.30am, and have since set up an investigation scene after ambulances evacuated five people to a local hospital. Highways England said the stretch of road will likely remain shuttered until well into the evening, likely past rush hour at around 5pm.
New close-up photos have shown evidence markers placed at the scene of this morning’s crash.
Police investigators have been working through the debris since arriving on the A1 and surveying the massive five-car collision which has shuttered much of the major road.
Great North Air Ambulance Service has revealed its teams took multiple patients to hospital after landing at the scene alongside emergency services this morning.
A spokesperson for the service said: “Our critical care team was activated at 2.38am to reports of a road traffic collision on the A1 near Denton. We had a paramedic and doctor respond on a critical care car and they arrived on scene at 2.51am. Our team worked alongside the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) to assess and treat multiple patients.
“The patients were taken to hospital by a NEAS road crew.”
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