Colchester: Husband and wife killed in bridge crash

A HUSBAND and wife were killed when the car they were travelling in crashed into a bridge on the A120 and burst into flames.

The couple were travelling in a silver Ford Focus when it hit the bridge at 2.45am yesterday, killing them both.

The couple are believed to have been travelling back to their home in the Clacton area.

The accident happened on the eastbound stretch of road between Ardleigh and the Clacton turn-off when the car left the road from the inside lane and collided with a bridge support.

Essex Police are now investigating the accident, although it is not believed to have involved any other vehicles.

Freezing temperatures which hit the county this weekend and affected many of the region’s roads may have been a contributing factor, but police are not ruling anything out at this stage and are appealing to witnesses to the incident to come forward.

Firefighters were alerted to the crash by the police and crews from Colchester and Wivenhoe were on the scene shortly before 3am.

A spokesman for the fire service said they were able to put out the fire quickly, but there was little they could do for the victims in the vehicle who were dead when the crews arrived.

Firefighters cut the bodies free from the wreckage and remained on the scene while the road was cleared of debris and crash investigators began their work.

The ambulance service was also called to the incident. Spokesman Gary Sanderson said: “Sadly two people were pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. Our thoughts are with their families at this tragic time.”

The eastbound carriageway of the A120 was closed for almost five hours and reopened at about 8am yesterday morning.

A formal identification of the bodies is not expected until later this week.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “We are appealing for anyone who may have seen the vehicle prior to the collision or who may have witnessed the collision to contact the Stanway road policing unit on 0300 333 4444.”