A man in his 20s or 30s has been airlifted to hospital with critical injuries after he was involved in a collision with a 4x4 vehicle in Sudbury.

East Anglian Daily Times: The emergency services at the scene of a collision in Girling Street, Sudbury, where a man was involved in a collision with a 4x4 vehicleThe emergency services at the scene of a collision in Girling Street, Sudbury, where a man was involved in a collision with a 4x4 vehicle (Image: Archant)

A west Suffolk town was brought to a standstill on a busy market day as emergency services battled in freezing conditions to free a man who had become trapped under a 4x4 vehicle.

Police, paramedics and firefighters were called to the scene of the collision in Girling Street, Sudbury just after 8.50am this morning.

A 49-year-old man, from Bildeston, was in collision with a Land Rover Discovery close to the entrance to Girling Street car park. He was trapped underneath the vehicle, but was conscious and breathing.

He was eventually air lifted to Addenbrooke’s hospital where he is reported to have been in a serious condition with injuries to his pelvis and legs.

The two-lane carriageway where the incident occurred, which is part of the town centre’s one way system, soon became gridlocked and incoming traffic eventually had to be diverted away from the centre on one of the busiest days of the week.

The Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, which was called to the scene had to land in the Co-operative Food store car park around 100 metres away.

A rescue vehicle from Sudbury fire station was among the first to attend, followed by a further two appliances from Sudbury and Long Melford. Around 14 firefighters worked swiftly in freezing temperatures to release the casualty.

Sudbury station commander Dave Collins said: “Our crews worked extremely well and quickly in difficult conditions with paramedics and the air ambulance medics.

“We first secured the scene to give the casualty some dignity and we were able to free him using air bags and stabilising equipment.

“We then assisted the police to get him to the air ambulance and he was airlifted to hospital.”

Girling Street was closed for more than an hour, eventually re-opening around 10.15am. According to police, several people witnessed the incident.