Three lives were lost over a weekend of tragedy on the region’s roads.

The deaths happened in two collisions on Saturday and Sunday morning.

A man and woman were killed when a sports car collided with a another vehicle near Newmarket, the day after a 44-year-old pedestrian died near the Suffolk/Essex border.

The first crash happened just after 2.20am on Saturday, when a male pedestrian, from Colchester, was involved in a collision with a silver Ford Mondeo, in Harwich Road, Lawford.

Police later revealed the vehicle believed to be involved in the crash was left in the car park of the Skinners Arms pub, in Station Road.

A 20-year-old man from the Clacton area was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, perverting the course of justice, driving without insurance, failing to stop and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence. He was released under investigation while police continue enquiries.

Julie Langstone, vice chairman of Lawford Parish Council, said it was a “very sad tragedy”, while Maria McManus, landlady at the Skinners Arms, expressed shock at news of the death, which happened before two people were killed in a collision at about 10.40am on Sunday in Brinkley Road, near Six Mile Bottom.

A man and a woman in their 20s died at the scene after the Porsche Boxster they were travelling in collided with a Volkswagen Golf GTI.

A man in his 40s, driving the Golf, was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital with minor injuries.

The road was not expected to reopen until Monday afternoon.

Witnesses to the Lawford crash can call the serious collision investigation unit on 01245 240590 or email CollisionAppeal@essex.pnn.police.uk. Witnesses to the Six Mile Bottom crash can call the road policing unit on 101, quoting incident 160 of December 9.