Mother and daughter die after head-on crash

A 40-year-old mother and her six-year-old daughter died after a car driving the wrong way up the A1 crashed head-on into their vehicle, police said today.

Police arrested the 61-year-old driver of a burgundy Jaguar which collided with a black Jaguar heading in the opposite direction on the dual carriageway half a mile north of the Gosforth Park interchange in Newcastle at around 9.30pm yesterday.

The woman, a front-seat passenger in the black car, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Her daughter was taken to Newcastle General Hospital where she was in a critical condition before she died this afternoon.

Neither the mother nor the daughter, who was travelling in the back of the car, would be named at this time, Northumbria Police said.

The girl's 37-year-old father, who was driving, and the couple's six-month-old baby escaped with minor injuries and were being treated at the same hospital.

Northumbria Police said the family came from Teesside.

The other driver, from Blyth, Northumberland, was treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead, for minor injuries and arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

The burgundy car was heading north on the southbound carriageway when the crash happened, Northumbria Police said.

Officers were still trying to establish the course of events leading up to the collision.

Sergeant Jamie Bell, of Newcastle motor patrols, said: "This has been a tragic incident and we would urge anyone with information or who witnessed the incident to come forward and help police with their inquiries.

"Anyone who does have information can contact police at any time on 03456 043 043 ext 69191."