A four-year-old boy has tragically died after an off-road bike collided with a lamppost in Bishop Auckland.
The collision happened in the Eldon Lane area at around 1pm on Sunday, when it was understood the little boy was a passenger on the bike.
The youngster was flown to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle by air ambulance, but was pronounced dead on arrival, the Mirror reports.
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The force has appealed for witnesses or anyone with information to call 101.
A spokeswoman for Durham Constabulary said: “Police are investigating following the death of a four-year-old boy in Bishop Auckland.
“It is believed the child had been a passenger on an off-road bike when it collided with a lamppost shortly after 1pm yesterday (Sunday, January 23) in the Eldon Lane area.
“He was airlifted to the Royal Victoria Infirmary, in Newcastle, but was sadly pronounced dead on arrival.”
A spokesperson for the North East Ambulance Service said: "We received a 999 call just before 1pm to the Bishop Auckland area.
"We dispatched a paramedic ambulance, a rapid response car and the air ambulance.
"A boy was treated at the scene then flown to the RVI in Newcastle by the air ambulance."
Investigators have appealed for anyone with information to get in touch.
Anyone with any information that could help the investigation is asked to call Durham Constabulary on 101, quoting incident number 196 of January 23.
