A SUFFOLK school is in mourning after a pupil died and his three friends were hospitalised following an horrific two-car smash in thick fog.Special assemblies were yesterday held at Thurston Community College, near Bury St Edmunds, in memory of Daniel Burt, and to inform his classmates of the injuries to his fellow Year 13 pupils.

A SUFFOLK school is in mourning after a pupil died and his three friends were hospitalised following an horrific two-car smash in thick fog.

Special assemblies were yesterday held at Thurston Community College, near Bury St Edmunds, in memory of Daniel Burt, and to inform his classmates of the injuries to his fellow Year 13 pupils.

The 17-year-old, of Chalk Lane in nearby Ixworth, died at the West Suffolk Hospital, in Bury, on Monday evening following the collision earlier that day which left him with serious head injuries. His devastated family were yesterday too upset to speak about his death.

However, the teenager was described as a “well-liked and valued” member of the school community by Helen Wilson, principal of the college.

“This is obviously a very sad day for the college,” she said. “We have lost a well-liked and valued member of our community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”

A spokesman for the college added that special assemblies had been held to inform the students of the news and update them on the condition of three other pupils who were injured, all of whom were travelling in a Vauxhall Vectra and are believed to be 17 years old.

One was initially taken to the West Suffolk suffering from neck injuries, but was yesterday transferred to Addenbrooke's in Cambridge for continued treatment.

Another was transported to Addenbrooke's with a suspected broken leg and arm and head injuries. The third suffered minor injuries.

Meanwhile, a fifth man, who was travelling in a Renault Megane at the time of the accident in Thurston's Mount Road, was admitted to Addenbrooke's for treatment. No further details were yesterday available of his condition.

The accident sent shockwaves through the close-knit community of Thurston. Alan Stiff, who represents the village on Mid Suffolk District Council, said residents' thoughts were with the families affected.

“We do not usually have many accidents here in any case, and when we have a fatal accident and young people are involved it is very, very sad,” he said. “It happened on a back road, but because of the congestion on the A14 at the Rookery Crossroads, we are getting a lot more traffic down there.

“Everybody's thoughts are with the families and friends of those injured.”

Fellow district councillor Derrick Haley said concerns had been raised over the safety of the route, as visibility when approaching the crossroads on Mount Road could sometimes be poor.

But a spokesman for Suffolk Council Council said any improvements to the road would only be made after a police investigation into the cause of the crash was complete.

Police are still appealing for witnesses to the collision, which happened between the Rougham Industrial Estate and Fishwicke Corner at around 1pm, to contact them.

Anyone with information should contact Pc Mick Marlow, at the Bury roads policing unit, on 01284 774100.