Speed may have played a part in the death of a village store owner from Panfield, Braintree, an inquest was told.

Francis Finneral, 51, of Kynaston Road, died in December after his Ford Transit van was in collision with a lorry on the A1071 near Polstead, Suffolk, Ipswich Coroner's Court heard on Thursday.

Mr Finneral, a father-of-four who ran the Panfield store with his wife, died in Ipswich Hospital as a result of his injuries.

A pathologist's report showed he died as a result of injuries including multiple rib fractures, consistent with being involved in road traffic accident.

The court heard a lorry trailer being driven in the opposite direction by Fred Hart, of Stowmarket, Suffolk, swung out and collided with Mr Finneral's van.

Mr Hart faces possible criminal proceedings as a result of the accident.

Gidon Reid, of Great Yeldham, a motorist behind Mr Finneral, told the court how he swerved to avoid the trailer as it swung out into his side of the road.

"I just remember coming into a bend and a white trailer of a lorry coming towards me," he said.

Mr Reid swerved into some gravel but did not see or hear the collision.

PC Stanley Todd, of Suffolk traffic police, told the court both vehicles were in correct working order and the lorry's tachograph showed it had been travelling at 64kph before the crash.

It had not "slammed on" its brakes, he said, and added the speed was too fast for the road, which was described at the hearing as "twisty and bendy" in places.

The court heard Mr Hart said at the time of the accident he had braked because of a broken down bus.

PC Todd told the court when he arrived at the accident scene there was no sign of a bus.

Recording an accidental death, Ipswich coroner Nowell Watkins said speed may have played a part in the tragedy.

"Nobody knows why this trailer swung out as it did but it seems clear that is what happened," he added.

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