A witness has described the moment a dead body was discovered in a vehicle near his home in Ipswich.

Ipswich Star: Councillor Inga Lockington. Picture: PHIL MORLEYCouncillor Inga Lockington. Picture: PHIL MORLEY (Image: Archant)

Police were called to a car park behind a block of flats in Cemetery Road at around 5.10pm on Tuesday after concern was raised for the safety of a man.

Multiple emergency services, including five fire engines, four ambulance vehicles and a Hazardous Area Response Team, attended the incident.

The man, aged in his 40s, was confirmed deceased at the scene and a spokeswoman for Suffolk Constabulary said the death was being treated as unexplained but not suspicious.

She said a file for the coroner would be prepared in due course.

Kelvin Lewis lives in the block of flats and he said residents were told by police to stay in their homes and keep their curtains drawn while the incident was under way.

The 59-year-old added: “I did as they said then a while later I peeked through the window and I noticed that there was a car on the right hand side with the door completely open.

“They were putting police tape around the front of the flats and car park and I thought ‘this isn’t right’.”

Mr Lewis said firefighters were wearing hazardous materials gear.

The cordon was removed around 10.15pm and a body was taken away in a private ambulance, he added.

Mr Lewis said the vehicle the body was found in had not moved from the car park for months, and added that the deceased man was believed to be a resident of the flats. A woman who lives in the area and asked to remain anonymous described the incident as “very sad”.

Inga Lockington, an Ipswich borough councillor who represents the area, said: “It must be really hard for the residents who have witnessed this and realising something was going on and I feel for the residents who live there.”

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service was alerted to the incident shortly before 7pm.

A brigade spokesman said firefighters attended to support police and the ambulance service.

The East of England Ambulance Service was called to the incident at 6.10pm.

A spokeswoman for the trust said the man was dead when crews arrived.