Suspected drink driver arrested after Barnard Castle crash

Police officers attended a collision near Barnard Castle on Thursday (November 16) evening, which saw a people carrier collide with a patch of trees. 

After arriving on the scene, officers from Durham Police were suspicious of the driver's actions and gave them a roadside breath test, which they failed. 

The driver's bonnet was hanging off following the collision (Image: DURHAM POLICE)

The driver was arrested at the scene and taken into custody. 

Following the incident, Durham Police have now used the crash as a reminder to not drink and drive. 

Sharing images, which show how lucky the driver was to escape without significant injury, the police force's roads unit posted the pictures alongside the caption: "Don’t drink and drive.

"The driver of this vehicle is remarkably fortunate to be walking away from this collision, near Barnard Castle.

"Driver arrested following a positive roadside breath test, and off to custody."

The extent of the damage that the driver had caused (Image: DURHAM POLICE)

This incident wasn't the first of drink driving that Durham Police's roads unit has had to deal with recently. 

At the end of last month, officers pulled over a HGV driver who was four times over the drink-drive limit. 

Marius Viorel Amarie drove his vehicle erratically and almost collided with multiple traffic islands between Heighington Village and Aycliffe Village on October 27.

In custody, Amarie blew 131 on his breath test. The legal drink drive limit is 35.

The 38-year-old, from Romania, was charged with drink driving and remanded into custody.

He admitted the offence and was banned from driving for three years and given a 12-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months.