By John HowardVILLAGERS are in shock after a resident died after the car he was driving was involved in a horrific road accident with a bus.The fatal crash happened shortly after 10am on Monday when a green Citroen car was involved in a collision with a First Eastern Counties bus on the outskirts of Stowmarket.

By John Howard

VILLAGERS are in shock after a resident died after the car he was driving was involved in a horrific road accident with a bus.

The fatal crash happened shortly after 10am on Monday when a green Citroen car was involved in a collision with a First Eastern Counties bus on the outskirts of Stowmarket.

Citroen driver John Wills, 77, of Birch Close, Stowupland, was pronounced dead at the scene, while the 47-year-old bus driver, from Bury St Edmunds, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

He was questioned at Bury St Edmunds police station before being released on bail until May 30.

The family of Mr Wills were too upset yesterday to pay tribute to him, but the Rev Canon Deirdre Parmenter, rural dean for Stowmarket and parish priest in Stowupland, said villagers' thoughts were with them.

“Our thoughts immediately go out to his family and then to his friends and neighbours,” she said.

“Any event like this is not only a terrible shock, but a tremendous loss for the family and people in the village.

“It just seems Stowupland has had its fair share of road accidents and it has affected everyone very deeply.

“We have had a villager knocked down by the garage and numerous young people knocked over or killed on motorbikes or in cars. This is so sad for everyone.”

Mary Clark, a neighbour of Mr Wills, said she believed he had only moved in to the quiet close less than a year ago.

“This is really dreadful. People move here because it is so quiet and restful, people say you can hear the silence,” she added.

john.howard@eadt.co.uk