Residents of Thurton have raised concerns about the safety of the A146 following a fatal accident near the village on Wednesday.

Eastern Daily Press: Police road block on the A146 at Thurton.Police road block on the A146 at Thurton. (Image: © Archant 2014)

Floral tributes have been laid at the scene of the three-vehicle crash around half a mile north of Thurton, just inside the 50mph zone.

A man in his 30s, believed to be from Norfolk, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The grey Citroen C1 he was driving towards Beccles was in collision with a silver Toyota Yaris, also travelling towards Beccles and a white Ford Transit Tipper travelling towards Norwich.

Mum-of-two Kirsty Bacon, who lives in a row of houses close to the crash site, has been calling for a reduction in the speed limit along that stretch of the road for the last few years, and like other mothers along the street, is concerned about the safety of her family.

She said: 'It is such an awful thing and it happened right where I cross the road with my children to get to the path on the other side.

'People know that it goes from 40mph at the bottom of the dip in Thurton, to 50mph at the top of the hill where we live and then to national speed limit, so as soon as they leave the village they put their foot down.

'But you don't even need to be speeding. If you are travelling at 50mph along there you can still kill someone.

'There are quite a few families with young children where we live who are now starting school, and to get to school at the bottom of the hill we have got to cross that road.

'Trying to get across with my four-year-old son and 16-week-old daughter in a pram is so dangerous.'

Mrs Bacon would like to see the speed limit reduced to 40mph, and would like a crossing island to be installed.

The collision happened just before 5pm on Wednesday, and there has been no suggestion that either vehicle was speeding.

Three ambulances, the air ambulance and a paramedic officer attended, but CPR efforts could not save the man.

Fire fighters managed to free another man trapped in his car and he was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

The collision caused the road to be closed for more than five hours, with police officers manning roadblocks and organising diversion routes.

The cause of the collision is still unknown.

Officers are keen to hear from anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has information concerning the driving manner of either vehicle prior to the incident.

Witnesses should contact PC Shane Schucroft at the Serious Collision Investigation Team (SCIT) on 101.