Biker killed in Suffolk village

RELATIVES and friends of a motorcyclist killed in a collision in a Suffolk village are in mourning today.

The biker died after sustaining head injuries in the crash at Nayland.

The accident happened just after 4.30pm yesterday at Harpers Hill.

The casualty was airlifted by the East Anglian Air Ambulance to Colchester hospital. However, a few hours later police confirmed he had died from his injuries.

The victim was a 42-year-old man from, Great Horkesley, near Colchester.

He was riding a red Suzuki GSX 1300 motorbike which was in a collision with a silver BMW. Police investigators are now trying to establish how the accident happened.

A spokesman for Suffolk police said: "We are appealing for any witnesses who saw the collision, and in particular the driver of a maroon car travelling towards the Colchester direction."

The tragedy brings the death toll on the county's roads this year to 42 – there were 43 in the whole of last year.

Elsewhere a van driver suffered serious injuries after his vehicle hit the corner of an ancient pub early yesterday.

The driver, whose injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, was taken to Ipswich Hospital following the one vehicle accident, which happened at the Crown Inn at Snape, at around 1.30am.

Police, ambulance and fire crews were called to the scene, and the injured man was released from the vehicle by firefighters.

Shocked staff at the 15th Century Adnams pub raised the alarm.

Diana Maylott, the licensee, said they were just having a chat after closing up the pub for the night when the accident happened.

"We heard this huge great big bang on the side of the building," she said.

She ran out with Bob Barker, the bar manager, to see what had happened, and immediately called the emergency services.

They said the building, which juts out at the side, had been hit several times over the years.

Anyone with information about either crash should telephone Suffolk police on 01473 613500.