POLICE have charged a 44-year old man following a collision on the A66 which injured three people.

Jerry Bouma, aged 44, of no fixed address, has been charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving a motor vehicle when above the alcohol limit.

Mr Bouma, a Dutch national, will appear before North Cumbria Magistrates Court later on today.

The charge follows a three vehicle road traffic collision on the A66 which left two people from South Shields with serious injuries. They were taken to James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough.

Mr Bouma was driving a Renualt Master van. The other two vehicles involved were a black Nissan Qashqai and a red Renault Scenic.

READ MORE: Police appeal for witnesses following A66 car collision

UPDATE: A596 crash victim named