A WOMAN was taken to hospital after she crashed into a telegraph pole around lunchtime today.

Durham police said officers were called to reports of a one vehicle collision on the A688, between Staindrop and Barnard Castle, just before noon today.

The A688 was closed in both directions, between Sudburn Avenue and Cleatlam Back Lane, for about two hours.

The police spokesperson said: "The driver of a Citroen C1, a woman in her 40s, was taken to hospital as a precaution.

"The road was cleared and fully reopened once the pole had been removed by BT just before 2pm."