A COMMUNITY stalwart who suffered horrific injuries in a car crash while on his way to be Father Christmas is today recovering in hospital.Trevor Hawkins, fundraiser and former chairman of Suffolk Coastal District Council was on his way to the Wyevale garden centre in Woodbridge when his black X-type Jaguar spun, left the A12 and hit a tree.

A COMMUNITY stalwart who suffered horrific injuries in a car crash while on his way to be Father Christmas is today recovering in hospital.

Trevor Hawkins, fundraiser and former chairman of Suffolk Coastal District Council was on his way to the Wyevale garden centre in Woodbridge when his black X-type Jaguar spun, left the A12 and hit a tree.

Mr Hawkins, 75, was taken to Ipswich Hospital suffering from crushed ribs, a broken pelvis and dislocated hip and other injuries. He was in intensive care but is now on a general ward.

The accident happened at 11.25am on Saturday at the point where traffic from Ufford joins the A12 Wickham Market bypass just before the dual carriageway section ends.

The road was blocked for nearly three hours while emergency services dealt with the incident.

Keir Wyatt, immediate past president of Saxmundham Rotary Club, of which Mr Hawkins is a member and was one of the founders, said everyone was shocked by the accident.

He said: “It is absolutely awful. Trevor is a great guy and a very special person in the community.

“He works so hard and does a terrific amount, and is very stoic, modest and an unsung hero - he just gets on and does those things which need to be done.

“I understand the medical services were on the scene very quickly but his injuries are dreadful and he is very lucky to be alive.”

Mr Hawkins, who lives with his wife Thelma at King George's Avenue, Leiston, is chairman of the rotary club's vocational committee and very involved with the group's work at Leiston High School, and also in the organisation of the youth leadership award programme and fundraising activities.

He is still serves as a Conservative Suffolk Coastal councillor for Leiston and is vice-chairman of the north area development control sub-committee as well as sitting on other committees and task groups, and representing the council on the Leiston Leisure Centre joint co-ordinating committee and Leiston Town Athletic Association sports ground executive.

He has been chairman of Leiston Town Council three times since first being elected to serve in 1976, and a trustee of Leiston Long Shop Museum.

Mr Hawkins served in the RAF and in civilian life trained as an electronics engineer.

He moved to Suffolk in 1967 and joined Sizewell A Power Station as a control and instrumentation engineer and in 1991 transferred to Sizewell B, where he was involved in the commissioning of the new plant before retiring in 1995.

n. Send your get well messages to Mr Hawkins to starnews@eveningstar.co.uk or write to Evening Star news desk at 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN.