Driver taken to hospital after van and lorry collide A String of crashes hit North-east roads as rain battered the region.

A String of crashes hit North-east roads as rain battered theregion.

A number of people were taken to hospital after 18 crashes on rain-drenched roads.

And, with bad weather forecast to continue, police were todaywarning drivers to take care.

Inspector Ian Kirkwood of Grampian Police said: "I would appealvery strongly to drivers to take extra precautions when driving inthe current weather conditions. "We have had a long dry spellfollowed by two days of heavy rain and that clearly affects roadconditions.

"It is much harder to control a vehicle."

A man was today recovering in hospital after one of yesterday's worse crashes.

A lorry ended up …