Man died after he suffered medical episode on the A1(M)

Emergency services were called to the road near Bowburn at around 2.45pm on Saturday, August 29, after a passenger became unwell in a car on the hard shoulder.

Police said the driver pulled onto the hard shoulder and paramedics were called for the passenger after he suffered a medical episode.

Paramedics performed CPR at the roadside, but the man, in his 60s, was pronounced dead at the scene.

National Highways North East closed the southbound carriageway between Junctions 61 and 60 after the medical emergency.

National Highways North East said delays had reached 15 minutes, with two miles of congestion on the approach.

A spokesperson for Durham Constabulary said: “At approximately 2:45pm on Saturday, August 29 emergency services were alerted to the A1(M) southbound close to Junction 61.

“A passenger in a car, which had pulled onto the hard shoulder, had suffered a medical episode.

“Paramedics carried out CPR at the roadside but, sadly the patient, a man in his 60s, was pronounced dead at the scene.”

A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called to an incident on the A1 near Coxhoe in County Durham at 2.37pm on Saturday, August 29.

“We dispatched two ambulance crews and one specialist paramedic to the incident.”

In a post on X, National Highways said: “A1M southbound between J61 and J60 in County Durham is closed due to a medical emergency.

“The ambulance service are on scene.

“There are delays of 15 minutes and two miles of congestion on the approach.”