Lorry driver killed by live power cables at Frettenham near Norwich

Police at the incident in Frettenham.Picture: ANTONY KELLY (Image: Archant Norfolk 2015)

Police were called to Buxton Road in the village shortly before 12 noon following reports a man driving lorry with a hi-ab arm had been injured after the vehicle struck overhead power cables.

An air ambulance, land ambulance and fire crews attended, but the man, aged in his 50s, was declared dead at the scene.

Officers cordoned off entry to the Town & Country Property Care yard, located off Buxton Road.

A lorry, with its mechanical arm still extended around a metre away from two overhead lines, was still parked on the site behind the cordon.

Police at the incident in Frettenham.Picture: ANTONY KELLY (Image: Archant Norfolk 2015)

People living in the nearby area said they experienced a power cut around midday.

Christine Wright, who lives next to the yard, said: 'It is so awful to think someone had come to work this morning and then...

'It is just a terrible, terrible accident.'

UK Power was still at the scene at around 2pm today, and was working on the overhead cables.

A spokesman said: 'Power was interrupted to some customers when a vehicle came into contact with our power lines in Frettenham at 11.44am today. Engineers worked to restore power to all bar one customer by 2.59pm.'

Enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the death.

There will be a joint investigation between the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and police.

Next of kin have been informed but formal identification is yet to take place.

Staff at Veolia, a waste collection service, helped direct traffic as emergency services arrived. Their main depot is located less than 100m down the from the site.

It also provided the air ambulance with a field to land in nearby.