Group rescued from flooded Belford house

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The SES says it's rescued a number of people from a house in Belford last night, after flash flooding inundated areas along the New England Highway.

Volunteers from the Maitland and Singleton units attended the scene.

It's understood over a metre of floodwater impacted the house, after 100mm of rain was recorded in the area late Monday night.

Image credit: Hunter SES

BREAKING! Horse Killed In Crash At Belford

 BY IAN CROUCH

A horse has been killed and another badly injured in a crash at Belford.

Police and RFS crews were called to the New England Highway near Bell Road just before 4.30am on Wednesday to reports of a crash involving a car and a horse in the eastbound lanes.

They arrived to find one horse deceased and began searching for a second which was found nearby with broken legs.

No persons were injured in the crash.

One southbound lane is open as the clean up effort continues.

UPDATE! Horse Transport Overturns At Belford: Horses Trapped

BY IAN CROUCH

A salvage operation to remove a horse transport which overturned on the New England Highway early Tuesday morning has wrapped up and traffic is slowly returning to normal.

Two trucks collided on the highway near Hermitage Road just after 4.30am.

Both male drivers were uninjured and underwent a roadside breath test, returning negative results.

A rescue team managed to extricate the horses from the upturned truck.

One horse was euthanised due to a broken leg, while the other four were assessed by a passing veterinarian.

 EARLIER:  

 Emergency services are at the scene of a truck crash at Belford south of Singleton.

A horse transport vehicle carrying five live horses has overturned on the New England Highway near Hermitage Road just after 4.30am on Tuesday, with the highway closed in both directions.

Three people in the truck have managed to free themselves and have not suffered any serious injuries.

However, the horses are trapped inside the truck and rescue teams have been sent to release them - their condition is not yet known.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area.

The horse transport vehicle ended up on its roof at Belford. Picture: Live Traffic NSW

 

Man Killed In Motorcycle Crash Near Singleton

BY IAN CROUCH


A man has died following a motorcycle crash near Singleton early this morning.

Emergency services were called to the New England Highway at Belford around 1.30 on Thursday morning following reports a motorcycle had crashed.

The rider, a 46-year-old man, died at the scene.

Police will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and a report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

The New England Highway southbound remains closed and motorists are advised to avoid the area.

Light vehicles can use Bell Road and Standen Drive as an alternative route.

Meanwhile, a 35-year-old man has been taken to the John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition after crashing his car into a power pole at on the New England Highway  Rutherford just before 4 o'clock this morning.

Police Investigate Truck Crash At Belford

BY IAN CROUCH

A truck driver is recovering in hospital after a crash at Belford south of  Singleton overnight.

Police say the 39-year-old was driving his refrigerated prime mover westbound on the new England Highway just before 8.30 last night when he swerved onto the nature strip and back onto the road before crashing down an embankment into a number of trees.

He was trapped for a short time before being released and taken to the John Hunter Hospital with lacerations and abrasions to his face and back.

A heavy vehicle tow truck was brought in to salvage the truck.

Police hope to speak to the driver in hospital this morning.