Police name electrocuted men

A street light being moved touched an overhead cable

Two men who died after receiving a massive electric shock at the scene of roadworks in County Durham have been named by police.

Fred Cook, 38, and John Crimmins, 33, both from North Shields, were electrocuted by a shock of 20,000 volts.

Durham Police said the men were moving a metal lamppost when it touched overhead power lines linked to the national grid.

The incident took place while the men were working on the west-bound carriageway of the A66 near the village of Bowes.

Post mortem

The emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 0845 GMT on Wednesday.

The men were working for sub-contractors resurfacing a stretch of the road.

One of the men was confirmed dead at the scene and the other at Darlington's Memorial Hospital.

A police spokesman said:"It appears at this stage from preliminary inquiries that the two men were involved in moving a metal lighting column at the side of the roadworks.

"Indications suggest that the column made contact with overhead national grid power lines which delivered a 20,000-volt shock."

A post mortem examination will be carried out on Thursday to establish the exact cause of death.