Village stunned by fireball death

DISTRESSED Sproughton residents were too upset to talk today after the death of a man turned himself into a human fireball.

Police investigation the 33-year-old's death were informing his relatives after it is believed he set himself alight in off Valley Farm Drive, a country road just off the A1071 to Hadleigh.

It is believed some of the man's family may live in Essex.

The victim is thought to have lived in a caravan near a bungalow in Valley Farm Drive.

Today there was little evidence of the horrific incident other that a small piece of blue police tape attached to shrubs and fluttering in the wind.

Valley Farm Drive is a remote enclave of houses and bungalows just outside the main village of Sproughton.

Although residents today were reluctant to speak about the tragedy, which happened around 8.30pm yesterday, one did say: "Things like this should not happened in a quiet country road like this."

The road was sealed off by police last night after the man died at the scene despite frantic efforts by paramedics to save him.

A police spokesman said: "We had a call to an incident last night at Sproughton where a man appeared to have set fire to himself and unfortunately died as a result of his injuries. Relatives are being informed."

Paramedics were called to the location but the East Anglian Ambulance Service said the man had died before they arrived.

A service spokesman said: "It appears he ran into the road and doused himself with petrol."

Emergency services believed the man may have suffered from mental health problems.

Firefighters were also called to the incident but were not required to take any action.

Customers in The Wild Man and The Beagle public houses in Sproughton were unaware of the drama that was unfolding on the edge of their village last night.