A paramedic treating a seriously injured motorcyclist who crashed in to a tree on the A137 near Ipswich was hit by another car and taken to hospital.

The motorcyclist, a man in his 40s, suffered serious injuries and was also taken to hospital in the incident which forced the closure of a large stretch of the road for three hours this morning.

The drama unfolded when a motorcyclist collided with a tree on the A137 at Tattingstone at around 5am.

A female paramedic officer passing by stopped to treat the man, who had been temporarily knocked unconscious, an East of England Ambulance Service spokesman said.

She explained that the paramedic was then hit and knocked to the ground by another vehicle. Another two ambulances were then called to the scene.

The paramedic, who did not suffer any serious injuries, was taken to Ipswich Hospital to be checked over.

The motorcyclist, a man in his 40s, sustained serious hip and head injuries not thought to be life-threatening and was also taken to Ipswich Hospital.

It is thought the incident took place during a freak hailstorm.

It prompted the closure of the A137 in both directions between the Station Road and Valley Lane junctions for more than three hours as contractors from Suffolk County Council’s Suffolk Highways team worked to clear oil which had spilt on to the road.

The road had re-opened by 8.45am.