A TIGHT knit community was in shock last night after a second young man from the village was killed on the same stretch of road just weeks after a similar tragedy.

A 17-year-old youth, from Cockfield, in County Durham, suffered fatal injuries when the car he was driving left the A688 near Barnard Castle and hit a tree on Friday night.

It is believed the young driver had passed his driving test just a week or so earlier.

Police said he was travelling towards Staindrop when the Subaru Forester 4x4 he was driving left the road at Barford Corner, a notorious accident blackspot between Barnard Castle and Staindrop. The young driver sustained multiple injuries and paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

Last night there were calls for highway safety officers to re-examine the tricky S-bends and find a way to make the road safer.

The death crash came less than five weeks after 34-year-old father-of-three Paul Armstrong, also from Cockfield, died just a mile down the road when his Ford Mondeo crashed near Dunhouse Quarry during the early hours of Sunday, April 26.

The car came to rest in a field and Mr Armstrong was pronounced dead at the scene.

At the request of his family, The Northern Echo has agreed not to name the latest victim until he is officially identified by police.

Over the weekend friends and family visited the site of the collision to leave floral tributes to him.

Other tributes from friends read: “You were like a brother to me. You stuck up for me no matter what. Fly high best mate” and “Always remember the laughs we used to have, gone far too soon. Love you lad.”

Barford Corner, on a tight S-bend in the road, has been the scene of many serious accidents over the years.

Last night Durham County Councillor James Rowlandson, who represents Barnard Castle West, said: “In the past there have been suggestions to try to straighten the bend out - but the council has decided to sell the land off at either side. There are limited funds for highways improvements and we have S-bends on country roads all over the county.

"But there have been fatalities and numerous other accidents on that road, maybe now is the time to think again about if anything can be done to improve safety on the road and the way people drive.”

Police are appealing for information about the collision, which occurred at 10.17pm.

A spokesperson said: "Officers are appealing for anyone who may have seen the vehicle prior to the collision, or witnessed the collision, to contact PC Benson or PC Ross.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Durham and Cleveland police collision investigation unit on 101 and quote incident 540 of Friday, May 29.