IT was the 13th day of the month and it proved doubly unlucky for a Felixstowe firm – which had two trucks overturn in similar circumstances on the A14.

By Richard Cornwell

IT was the 13th day of the month and it proved doubly unlucky for a Felixstowe firm – which had two trucks overturn in similar circumstances on the A14.

Just a few hours before the spectacular crash in which a Securicor Omega lorry blocked the dual carriageway at Trimley, another of its juggernauts flipped over on the same road in Northamptonshire, injuring its driver who lives in Suffolk.

Today motorists faced traffic chaos again as part of the A14 at Trimley remained closed to allow the road to be repaired, although by 9am no work had begun on the road.

The accident happened underneath the interchange – exactly between the two bridges – and so westbound vehicles are being diverted up the Trimley sliproad and down the other side back onto the main road.

The driver of the articulated lorry was said to have had "potentially life-threatening" injuries, but today was off the danger list and was "stable" in Ipswich Hospital.

His family have asked for his name not be released, but he is understood to come from Tilbury in Essex.

A police spokeswoman said the road would be closed for several days to enable the repairs to the crash barriers and road surface to be completed.

The 40ft truck and its container, which was wedged right across both lanes, was removed from the scene by heavy lift cranes last night and the operation attracted big crowds.

The crash happened at 12.30pm yesterday after the truck, which had just left Felixstowe port, struck the inside lane crash barrier just before the interchange.

It skidded across the outside lane and then swung back towards the tree-lined embankment and overturned.

The driver suffered a suspected ruptured spleen.

A spokeswoman for Northamptonshire police said a Securicor Omega lorry travelling westbound hit the central reservation crash barrier and overturned at 7.15am yesterday, blocking the A14 for seven hours.

The driver, a 56-year-old man from Bungay, was taken to Kettering Hospital with head and hand injuries.