Firefighters from five Suffolk stations worked for more than an hour to free a man who became trapped in his van after a crash on the A140 near Braiseworth this morning.

Emergency services, including paramedics and a number of police officers, were called shortly before 10am to reports that a van and a car had been involved in a head-on crash near the Gislingham turn-off.

Police shut the road in both directions while five fire crews – two from Diss and one each from Debenham, Eye and Stradbroke – helped to cut a man out of his van.

Paramedics feared he had suffered life-changing spinal injuries – and once firefighters had managed to free him he was taken to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital for further treatment.

A rapid response vehicle, ambulance crew and ambulance officer were sent by the East of England Ambulance Service to assess the man at the scene.

It is not thought that the other person involved in the crash was injured.

A police spokeswoman said the man’s injuries, although serious, are no longer thought to be life-changing.

The A140 is now open again in both directions.

Witnesses or anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting CAD reference number 94 of today, April 26.