NEIGHBOURS who made a dramatic bid to save the life of a motorist after his car careered into a wall in Ipswich today told of their sadness over his death.

NEIGHBOURS who made a dramatic bid to save the life of a motorist after his car careered into a wall in Ipswich today told of their sadness over his death.

Anglesea Road residents Dr Donald McElhinney and Mary Krajewski were among a handful of neighbours and passers-by who jumped into action to help the man as he lay dying in his car.

The elderly driver, believed to be from the Ipswich area, is thought to have suffered a cardiac arrest, causing him to lose control of his Toyota Avensis.

The car collided with the wall of Mrs Krajewski's front garden at about 8.40am on Saturday.

A pyjama-clad Dr Donald McElhinney, a doctor at the Burlington Road surgery in Ipswich, rushed to the crash scene after being alerted by his neighbour, Mrs Krajewski.

Mrs Krajewski said: “I was standing in the front room looking out of the window waiting for the paper boy and I saw the car come to the bottom of Graham Road and turn left and then there was this bang.

“I thought he had burst his tyre or something so I went out to have a look and the car was wedged into the wall.

“There was a young man walking past at the time so we both went to look at the man; he was in a bad way so we called an ambulance.”

After witnessing the accident, Mrs Krajewski went to call on her next door neighbour, Dr McElhinney.

Dr McElhinney said: “My neighbour came to knock and obviously something had happened and he was in a bad way so I gave him a heart massage and performed CPR with the help of a nurse who lives nearby.

“We got him flat and kept him going until the paramedics arrived.”

Mrs Krajewski said: “Doctor McElhinney was in his pyjamas but he came out and managed to get into the car.

“We couldn't open the driver's door but he managed to get in the other side and he stretched across and released the other door.”

Despite their efforts the man died a few hours later at Ipswich Hospital.

Mr McElhinney said: “It's a sad thing. I'm very sorry to hear that he's passed away and I was pleased to have assisted him at the time.”

Did you see the crash? Do you know the motorist who died and want to pay tribute to him? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.