A 24-YEAR-old man has died after being thrown from a car when it hit a tree. The man was a front seat passenger in a black BMW which lost control on the Halstead Road near Earls Colne at 11.

A 24-YEAR-old man has died after being thrown from a car when it hit a tree.

The man was a front seat passenger in a black BMW which lost control on the Halstead Road near Earls Colne at 11.15pm on Tuesday.

An ambulance was sent to Stonebridge Hill but the passenger, from Bures, was declared dead at the scene.

The 22-year-old driver from Earls Colne escaped uninjured and was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. Last night, he was still being interviewed by police.

Officers have called for help from the public who may have seen the car in the moments before the crash.

Inspector Mark Harman, of Bocking traffic police, the senior investigating officer, said: "We would like to speak with any motorists who were using the Halstead Road late on Tuesday night and may have seen the moments leading up to the crash involving this black BMW.

"In particular we would like to trace a car driver who was travelling towards Halstead Town Centre at around 11.15pm just moments before the collision."

Essex ambulance was called to the accident and sent a doctor and incident support manager and two vehicles to the scene.

Anyone with information about the accident should contact the Bocking Road Policing Unit on 01376 330 722.

n Bocking traffic police are also appealing for witnesses to a crash in Coggeshall Road, Earls Colne, at 12.30pm yesterday.

A blue Peugeot 106 Gti car, being driven by a 23-year-old man from Dovercourt, was travelling round a bend into the village when it was in collision with a lorry coming the opposite way.

The car driver was taken to Colchester General Hospital with whiplash and chest injuries which are not believed to be serious. The lorry driver, a 54-year-old Colchester man, was unhurt.