THE death toll on Suffolk roads this year has risen to four today after two men were killed in separate crashes within hours of each other.Firefighters and paramedics battled in vain to save the lives of the men after they were involved in accidents on the notorious A140 at Brockford and a road junction in the centre of Ipswich.

THE death toll on Suffolk roads this year has risen to four today after two men were killed in separate crashes within hours of each other.

Firefighters and paramedics battled in vain to save the lives of the men after they were involved in accidents on the notorious A140 at Brockford and a road junction in the centre of Ipswich.

The crashes, within just eight hours of each other yesterday, killed the driver of a car after it came off the road and demolished a garden wall in Luther Road, Ipswich, and a van driver on the A140.

Police have not yet named either victim as their relatives are still being informed.

A red Citroen car appeared to have been heading into town shortly before 11pm, when it left the road and hit the wall. It ended up facing downhill on Belstead Road, near roadworks.

Firefighters from Princes Street and Colchester Road pulled the man, estimated to be in his 40s or 50s, from the car to try and resuscitate him.

Karl Rolfe, assistant divisional officer, said: "The driver wasn't trapped but he needed serious medical attention so we got him out quickly. Bystanders said he had shown signs of life prior to our arrival.

"A crew did try to sustain life but unfortunately to no avail. We did what we could until the doctors and paramedics arrived."

Lionel Waldridge, a pensioner from Belstead Road saw the scene unfold.

He said: "I was watching television when I heard a big bang and immediately jumped to my feet.

"There was no screeching of brakes. I saw that a red car had smashed into the wall opposite."

He said a passer-by dialled 999 on his mobile phone.

"The paramedics were working on him in the road, pumping his chest but unfortunately getting no response. They covered him up with a white sheet."

He added: "This junction is an accident hotspot and I've been saying for years that something needs to be done about it. It's the worst accident I've ever seen there."

Witnesses said the emergency services were at the scene until about 1.30am.

At the A140 crash a van driver died when his vehicle was in collision with a lorry at Brockford creating havoc for rush hour traffic on the main road between Ipswich and Norwich.

A half-mile stretch was completely blocked off following the crash at 3.15pm as all three emergency services helped free the two drivers from the wreckage of their vehicles.

Both the Mercedes lorry and the red Peugeot van ended up in the ditch at the side of the northbound carriageway.

The driver of the van, who has not been named but is believed to come from the Norwich area, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Ipswich-based Suffolk Police helicopter ferried the trucker beyond the long tailbacks, to a waiting ambulance that took him to Ipswich Hospital.

The man, said to be in his 50s, was suffering from multiple injuries.

The East Anglian air ambulance, which arrived in 21 minutes, was also in attendance.

Fire crews from Stowmarket and Debenham and a pump rescue tender from Princes Street in Ipswich also attended the scene.

ADO Rolfe said: "The casualty was severely trapped in the van. He was conscious when we first arrived and both firefighters and paramedics tried to save him, but unfortunately his condition deteriorated very quickly."

Sergeant Colin Teager, from the Suffolk traffic unit, said the lorry appeared to have been travelling towards Ipswich while the van was travelling in the opposite direction.

The road was still blocked at 6.40pm, although diverted traffic was moving smoothly through country lanes either side of the A140.

He said: "There was some congestion but we got diversions in quite quickly. There was some disruption to the surrounding villages but unfortunately that is the case with this type of incident."

Police are appealing for witnesses to the crash, particularly the woman driver of a silver hatchback car who was seen to stop at the scene of the accident and then continue.

They stressed that there was nothing to suggest she was involved in the collision. Anyone with information should call Suffolk police on 01473 613500.

Kent lorry driver Jason Parker, 30, was the last person to die as a result of a crash, just a few miles south on the same stretch of road in December.