A LORRY driver who was using his mobile phone seconds before an accident which claimed the life of a lottery winner has admitted causing death by dangerous driving.

A LORRY driver who was using his mobile phone seconds before an accident which claimed the life of a lottery winner has admitted causing death by dangerous driving.

Adrian Burrows, 41, of Glebe Close, Bramford, was driving an HGV on the A14 at the time of the crash, in which Brian Mills died.

Mr Mills, of Diss, is thought to have been driving to work when the accident happened and his car burst into flames.

The 58-year-old was one of the 13 staff at John Menzies Wholesale in Ipswich who scooped £118,156 in the lottery in May 2004.

At Ipswich Crown Court yesterday, Burrows pleaded guilty to causing Mr Mills' death by dangerous driving on July 28 last year.

Stephen Dyble, prosecuting, said Burrows accepted using his mobile telephone in the seconds before the tragic accident.

The case prompted road safety campaigners to stress the dangers of using a hand-held mobile phone while driving.

Last winter The Evening Star launched its Light Up, Belt Up, Shut Up campaign to make the road safer - urging drivers to use their lights on murky mornings and evenings, wear their seatbelts and not to use handheld mobile phones while behind the wheel.

Brigitte Chaudhry, of RoadPeace, said: “We would have hoped that all drivers, especially drivers of such big vehicles which can potentially cause such huge damage, should know about the danger of using a mobile phone while driving.

“In this case, someone has had to pay with their life because of this driver breaking the law.

“RoadPeace is a charity dealing with the tragic effects of crashes daily. We are saddened that yet another life has been lost needlessly through someone breaking the law.”

A spokesman for Suffolk police said: “Suffolk Constabulary's road policing officers are focussing on motorists who choose to ignore the law by speeding, drink or drug driving, failing to wear a seatbelt and using a mobile phone while driving.

“If you use a handheld mobile phone while driving you are not concentrating on what you are doing, which can have dire consequences.”

Judge Neil McKittrick ordered that a pre-sentence report should be prepared on Burrows and adjourned the case for three weeks.

Burrows was released on unconditional bail and was warned that all sentencing options would be open to the court when he returned next month.

n. How can we stop drivers using hand held mobile phones? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or email eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk