AN ELDERLY man is believed to have suffered a heart attack at the wheel of his car causing a three vehicle collision near Bury St Edmunds this afternoon.

AN ELDERLY man is believed to have suffered a heart attack at the wheel of his car causing a three vehicle collision near Bury St Edmunds this afternoon.

The accident happened on the B134 at Fornham St Genevieve near Timworth at about 3.30pm.

A police spokesman said the elderly man was believed to have suffered a mild heart attack just prior to the accident, causing him to swerve across the road and impact with the other cars.

The man was taken to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge. A spokeswoman for the East of England Amubulance Trust said he was believed to be in a serious condition.

“Usually routine cases are taken to the West Suffolk Hospital, so it does indicate a more serious condition for him to be taken to Addenbrookes.”

A 30-year-old male also suffered head injuries in the accident and another male aged 30 was treated by paramedics for shock along with his three-year-old toddler at the scene.

One of the vehicles was leaking petrol at the scene as a result of the impact, causing the fire service to be called to attend.

The vehicles involved in the crash were a black Ford Fusion, a blue VW Passatt from Chelmsford and a blue Toyota Corolla from Clare, near Sudbury.

The accident resulted in the closure of the road and diversions were put in place.

The road re-opened at about 4.40pm.