A man in his 30s has died after being hit by an ambulance transporting a patient to hospital on the A19 near Sunderland, police said. The collision happened shortly after 2am, between the junctions for the A1018 and A690. The ambulance was travelling northbound without its blue lights on when it struck the man as he walked along the road, and he died at the scene.

The North East Ambulance Service confirmed the death and said the patient and their partner, who were in the vehicle, were unhurt and were transferred to another ambulance and taken to hospital for further treatment. The driver, a man in his 40s, was also not injured and remained at the scene to assist police with their inquiries. Neither the patient nor the partner was hurt, and the service said the crew's thoughts were with the patient's loved ones.S1S2

Northumbria Police's roads policing unit has launched an investigation and is appealing for anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage of the incident or the events leading up to it to come forward. Sergeant Ben Rutherford said the force's thoughts were with the family and loved ones of the man, and that any information, however insignificant it may seem, could prove key to the inquiry. Those with information can contact Northumbria Police via social media, its live chat or report forms on its website, quoting reference NP-20261115-0086.S1S2