A 19-year-old man died after being hit by a police car and an ambulance on the A14 at Rougham, an inquest has heard.

Ewan Clover, of Ipswich Road, Rougham, near Bury St Edmunds, died on Sunday, October 14 following an crash on the westbound carriageway.

The opening of an inquest on Thursday, November 1, heard police were called to reports of a man lying in the road at around 4.30am that morning.

Assistant coroner Dr Dan Sharpstone said the two emergency vehicles were on their way to separate calls when the tragedy occurred and did not know there had been reports of a man on the carriageway.

He said: “Shortly after the report a marked police vehicle on another call, unaware of the male, noticed a vehicle swerve in front of them. They didn’t have an opportunity to miss the male.

“A following ambulance has also hit the male.”

A spokesman for Suffolk police said the car in front struck Mr Clover before the emergency vehicles did.

Dr Sharpstone said a post mortem examination had shown Mr Clover had died of head injuries as a result of a road traffic collision.

He said: “The cause is unknown of how the male got to be on the road.”

Suffolk Constabulary have informed the Office for Police Conduct about the incident.

Tributes were paid to the popular teenager following the news of his death.

Andy Connagher, owner of Whitewater Graphics and Design in Bury St Edmunds, where Mr Clover worked as a production operative, said: “Everyone is shocked, Ewan was a popular gentle man. He is very popular and everyone at the company is devastated about what’s happened.”

Helen Wilson, headteacher of Thurston Community College, where Mr Clover was a student, added: “A big smile and caring nature will be the abiding memories of Ewan as we sent out condolences to his family.”

Friends of the teenager took to social media following the tragedy.

One Facebook post read: “Just know I’ll always look to the sky and be thinking of you bro!

“You were loved and always will be, fly high up there, rest easy Ewan, rest easy brother.”

Dr Sharpstone adjourned the inquest to a later date.