A MOTORIST has died after his car left the road and hit a tree before bursting into flames.The accident happened on the A12 at Wangford, near Southwold, at about 12.

A MOTORIST has died after his car left the road and hit a tree before bursting into flames.

The accident happened on the A12 at Wangford, near Southwold, at about 12.10pm yesterday and left the main road between Ipswich and Lowestoft blocked for several hours.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene and his female passenger was taken by air ambulance to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.

The woman, thought to be the victim's wife, was seriously injured. She was said to be in a "stable" condition last night, although suffering from multiple fractures.

Police, fire and ambulance crews were all called to the scene of the crash.

Fire crews from Wrentham, Southwold and Lowestoft had to free the couple from the wreckage of their car.

As rescue attempts were made by the emergency crews, other police officers set up diversions through nearby villages. The main road was blocked for three hours following the accident.

The accident happened as the couple's car was travelling southbound along the A12 towards Ipswich.

In what Suffolk police described as a "single vehicle accident", the car left the carriageway and went into trees at the side of the road.

It is believed the victim might have suffered a heart attack and died before the crash.

Suffolk police are not naming the couple until their next of kin have been informed.