POLICE were today investigating the tragic death of a man in his twenties who was killed when he fell from a footbridge over the A12.

Emergency services were called to the Halstead Road footbridge at Stanway, Colchester, at 7.20pm last night.

The man landed in the London-bound carriageway of the busy trunk road.

Police believe that no cars struck him but he was declared dead at the scene having suffered severe injuries in the fall.

A section of the A12 was shut for around three and a half hours while the incident was investigated. Inspector Steve Brewer, of Stanway road policing unit, said; “Officers from Stanway and the A12 Alliance attended the scene and we were able to open one lane after a short while to release the traffic that became trapped behind the incident.

“Sadly despite the fact that no vehicles appear to have struck the casualty his injuries were so severe that he was pronounced dead at the scene.”

Police are not treating the death as suspicious and have referred the matter to the coroner.

The man’s identity will not be released until formal identification has taken place later this week.

Police have appealed for any witnesses who saw the man, who was dressed in a black T-shirt and beige trousers, at the footbridge to contact them at the A12 Alliance Unit on 0300 333 4444.