POLICE were today appealing for witnesses to an accident on the A12 in which a 52-year-old Ipswich man was killed.The man, who has not yet been named, was killed last night after he stopped to help the victims of a road accident – and was himself struck by a passing car.

POLICE were today appealing for witnesses to an accident on the A12 in which a 52-year-old Ipswich man was killed.

The man, who has not yet been named, was killed last night after he stopped to help the victims of a road accident – and was himself struck by a passing car.

The accident happened on the Colchester-bound stretch of the A12, near the Four Sisters Farm turn off at East Bergholt, at around 9.45pm.

Some of the dead man's next-of-kin have been informed but his body has not yet been formally identified. Five other people were taken to Ipswich Hospital, two with serious injuries.

Meanwhile a lorry driver who crashed into the Suffolk Punch pub in Norwich Road, Ipswich, on Tuesday morning was still in a critical condition in Ipswich Hospital today.

The male driver, who is from Leicester, was driving a Mercedes box van which clipped a smaller Vauxhall van before mounting the pavement and crashing into the pub at 5.45am.

Some of the driver's next-of-kin are still to be informed following the incident which caused early morning traffic chaos in the Norwich Road area.

Both drivers had to be cut free from their vehicles but the driver of the Vauxhall van was released yesterday with minor injuries.

Police officers, ambulance crews, paramedics and firefighters all raced to the scene of last night's incident on the A12 and diversions were set up while the accident was dealt with.

Inspector Mike Hinshelwood, of Suffolk Police, said: "A Vauxhall Vectra which was travelling southbound on the A12 left the road and turned upside down. That was a straightforward accident, and there were at least four people inside the vehicle.

"A Rover Maestro Van travelling northbound came across the accident and the driver stopped and went to give assistance.

"Unfortunately a BMW travelling southbound collided with him and he suffered fatal injuries.

The scene stretched over a quarter of a mile, though emergency services were concentrating on a 200-yard area near the East Bergholt turn-off.

At 11.20pm, at least 12 police vehicles were at the scene. The wreckage of a silver car lay on its roof facing the wrong way in the carriageway.

The remains of the vehicle were illuminated by both portable lights erected around it and a tall floodlight rising from the back of a fire engine.

About 150 yards back towards Ipswich, another fire appliance stood with around 15 officers working.

Meanwhile accident investigators were examining remains of the upturned vehicle, and experts peered through the wreckage with torches.

Police also scoured vegetation at the side of the road. Shortly afterwards, a covered body was placed in a black private ambulance by officers.

Anyone who witnessed the accidents is being urged to call Suffolk police on 01473 613500