THE death toll on Suffolk's roads rose again last night when an accident claimed the life of a pensioner.The woman was killed in a two-car collision just outside Whepstead, near Bury St Edmunds.

THE death toll on Suffolk's roads rose again last night when an accident claimed the life of a pensioner.

The woman was killed in a two-car collision just outside Whepstead, near Bury St Edmunds. Emergency services were called to the accident on the B1066 at about 4.15pm yesterday .

The woman, who is believed to come from Whepstead, was driving a red Toyota Starlet from the Bury St Edmunds direction towards the village.

It was involved in a collision with a blue Peugeot 306 travelling in the opposite direction, driven by a local woman.

Three ambulances and a medic went to the scene of the crash, about half a mile outside Whepstead, along with three fire engines from Bury St Edmunds.

The woman was unconscious and trapped in the wreckage of her car on their arrival and fire crews released her. She was taken to the West Suffolk Hospital by ambulance but later died.

The woman in the Peugeot was also taken to the hospital with chest injuries, which are not believed to be serious.

The road was closed for several hours while the emergency services dealt with the accident and diversions were put in place.

Suffolk police will not release the pensioner's name until her next of kin have been notified.

The coroner is due to be informed of her death and an inquest will be held at a later date.

The crash happened only days after police appealed to motorists to take care on the region's roads following the deaths of eight people in accidents over three weeks.

It brings the number of fatalities in Suffolk this year to 39, compared with 59 in the whole of 2003.

Police are appealing for witnesses and anyone with any information should contact Pc Kevin Fuller at Bury St Edmunds Road Policing Unit on 01284 774100.