POLICE have today confirmed they spoke to a Suffolk man just moments before he is believed to have stabbed himself to death.The revelation follows an incident in Needham Market yesterday which left a man fatally wounded and an elderly woman with a head injury.

POLICE have today confirmed they spoke to a Suffolk man just moments before he is believed to have stabbed himself to death.

The revelation follows an incident in Needham Market yesterday which left a man fatally wounded and an elderly woman with a head injury.

Officers were called to Ludbrook Close at shortly after 6am and had spoken to the man prior to his death.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) have now been called in to investigate the incident.

A spokesman for Suffolk police said: "Any death where there is contact with the police must be referred to the IPCC as a matter of routine.

"In this case, there was verbal contact between the man and police prior to his body being found.

"The investigation will be conducted by Suffolk police, supervised by the IPCC's commissioner for Suffolk, Len Jackson."

Police were first alerted to the incident following an accident on the old A45 at Badley Hill, near Needham Market.

A man is believed to have abandoned an Astra van on the road and started walking back towards Needham.

A Renault Clio swerved to avoid him and then overturned leading police to search for the owner of the Astra.

That search took them to Ludbrook Close where a body was discovered in the garden.

Today the home of Florence Weston and her son Christopher Carroll in Ludbrook Close remains cordoned off along with two surrounding bungalows.

Police are unable to confirm the identity of those involved in the incident but it is believed the man found dead in the back garden of the semi-detached bungalow was in his thirties.

A post mortem examination carried out by a Home Office pathologist discovered he had died from one stab wound and police have confirmed they are not treating the death as suspicious.

Yesterday neighbours said they believed Mr Carroll had a history of mental illness.

They said: "I know the man has tried to kill himself before, it was just over a year ago.

"I know it happened because I watched them bring him out."

It is believed the elderly woman is still being treated at Ipswich Hospital today though her injuries are not believed to be serious.