The accident happened on the M1 motorway near Darlington [FILE PIC] (Image: Google Maps)
A man has been arrested after a woman in her 80s was killed in a Christmas Day motorway crash.
The collision between a white Ford Fiesta and a black Volkswagen Tiguan happened on the A1(M) near Darlington just after 8.30pm.
North Yorkshire Police said the female passenger in the Ford Fiesta, who was from the Durham area, suffered serious injuries and died at the scene.
The driver of the Ford Fiesta, a man in his 80s from the Durham area, was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition.
The Volkswagen driver, a man in his 20s from the Durham area, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and has been released under investigation as police carry out further inquiries.
Officers are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage of the crash, which happened on the northbound carriageway between Junction 57 (A66(M) junction) and Junction 58 (Merrybent).
Police thanked members of the public who assisted at the scene.
The motorway was closed until around 8am on Thursday for collision investigators and National Highways to assess the road surface.
It is now open again in both directions but with a lane closure currently still in place, police said.