A man and woman, arrested following a crash during a police pursuit on the A1 that left seven officers injured, have been released on bail.

Five police vehicles and a BMW car were involved in the crash near Denton Burn, Newcastle, just before 02:30 BST on Wednesday, Northumbria Police said.

The man, in his 20s, was arrested on suspicion of causing serious serious injury by dangerous driving. The woman, also in her 20s, will face no action for her original arrest on suspicion of aiding dangerous driving but is being investigated over drug allegations.

The A1 was closed in both directions across the River Tyne, between Swalwell in Gateshead and Denton, for almost 13 hours following the crash.

Northumbria Police said officers attempted to stop the BMW in the Whickham area of Gateshead at about 02:00 over “concerns about the manner it was being driven”.

It was later seen in the Swalwell area and a pursuit was “authorised”, with the crash happening about two miles north on the other side of the river.

One Denton resident described the scene as “absolute carnage”.

As well as the dangerous driving claim, the arrested man is being investigated on suspicion of failing to stop when required by police and having no insurance.

The woman held with him has been granted bail pending further inquiry into the suspected possession of Class A and B drugs.

Both were unhurt in the crash but the injured officers were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries, police said.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct said it had still not received a referral about the case and that a collision involving a police vehicle does not always result in one.