FAMILIES of two teenage friends are in mourning today after the pair were killed in a head-on crash which also left a mother and child injured.Other relatives of the 17-year-old boys were being informed of their deaths throughout today as police began their investigation into the cause of the crash near Ipswich.

A SUFFOLK village has today offered its prayers to the families of two teenage friends killed in a head-on crash.

The Bramford village reverend has assured relatives the thoughts of people from the area are with them after the accident - which also left a mother and child injured.

Reverend David Vonberg said: "The church will be very much thinking of the families.

"I'm in church on Sunday and will make sure the tragic accident is very much in the hearts of people, as I'm sure it is in the whole of the church community.

"When this happens so close to home it becomes very real and personal to us.

"If they are known locally it will cause great sadness.

"We are here to support the family if they need us at any stage."

Relatives of the 17-year-old boys were being informed of their deaths throughout today as police began their investigation into the cause of the crash near Ipswich.

The teenagers were killed when the Volkswagen Golf they were travelling in collided with a Seat car carrying a mother and daughter on the Somersham Road at about 7.20pm yesterday.

The boys, who are understood to be from the Bramford area, were travelling in a family car in the direction of the B1113 from Little Blakenham towards Bramford.

Both the driver of the Golf, who is understood to have been a provisional licence holder, and his passenger died at the scene.

The eight-year-old girl and her mother who were travelling in the opposite direction in the Seat suffered minor injuries and were treated at Ipswich Hospital.

They are also believed to be from the Bramford area.

Bramford residents today spoke of their shock over the deaths.

One shop owner said Somersham Road had a reputation as a "nasty road" for motorists.

Another said the deaths would be a big shock to the small town. "If they are children, whether you know them or not, it's a sad loss of young lives," she said.

An off-duty paramedic discovered the crash and helped treat the injured women while emergency crews travelled to the scene, which was about half a mile from the B1113 turn-off for Little Blakenham.

Reports from the scene suggested the cars crashed head-on and today police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the collision.

A Suffolk Constabulary spokeswoman said: "Any serious accident or fatality results in us carrying out a full investigation so the results can be provided for the coroner in due course.

It is likely part of that investigation will look at whether last night's drizzly conditions played any part in causing the collision.

Fire crews were the first emergency vehicles on the scene after being called by a member of the public on a mobile phone.

When they arrived they helped treat the victims until an ambulance crew and police arrived.

Sub officer Wil Tel from the Princes Street Fire Station said: "There were two cars, there were some slightly injured passengers in one vehicle and two fatalities in the other."

Mr Tel said both cars were badly damaged in the collision.

"It was a fairly high impact," he said.

The fire service has praised the actions of the off-duty paramedic who discovered the crash and immediately prevented other vehicles from approaching the scene.

"On arrival we were met by a paramedic. The off-duty paramedic had done a sterling job in that he'd posted a car further back with its lights on," Mr Tel said.

Fire crews were at the crash scene until almost 10pm assisting with the clean-up operation.

The identities of the dead boys are not expected to be released until late today at the earliest.

Anyone with information about the accident should contact Pc Melanie Savage at the Suffolk Road Policing Unit on 01473 613735.