Ipswich: Motorists looked on helplessly as man fell to death

POLICE were said to have been inundated by calls from motorists after a young man fell to his death from the Orwell Bridge, it emerged today.

The deceased is understood to have been aged in his 20s and was from the Ipswich area.

Police were alerted to the incident at 12.10pm yesterday as numerous concerned drivers phoned 999 to report the incident.

An area around The Strand was cordoned off by officers and paramedics were also despatched to the road under the Wherstead side of the bridge.

However, a spokesman for Suffolk Constabulary said the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The deceased’s next of kin have been informed and the formal identification process was due to take place yesterday.

Staff working in the control centre at Suffolk police’s Martlesham headquarters received multiple calls from motorists travelling along the A14 at the time of the incident.

The road was closed off for two hours and despite diversions motorists faced substantial delays while an investigation got under way.

Drivers travelling from the Shotley peninsula were advised to travel through Holbrook, and motorists travelling into the peninsula from Ipswich were diverted through Brantham.

The road was re-opened and the diversions were lifted at 2.20pm.

One motorist, who asked not to be named, said: “I realised something serious had happened when the police stopped traffic at Freston.

“The road had been shut off and we were told by police officers that it was likely to remain closed for about two hours.

“There was quite a large number of police officers there and a couple of ambulances too.”