Police seek information after early-morning crash caused standstill in Sturry Fatal crash on slow-moving road leaves few clues for investigators

aclaridge@thekmgroup.co.uk A man died after ploughing through a fence and hitting a tree in Sturry on Saturday morning.

The 51-year-old from Margate had been coming down the A28 from Thanet at 7.30am when his white convertible Vauxhall Astra left the road close to the Sturry level crossing.

Crash investigators shut the road until 11.30am and firefighters from the Canterbury station also attended.

The accident brought traffic to a near standstill as drivers struggled to get in and out of Canterbury along the Sturry Road or other routes at the eastern end of the city.

Cllr Tony Austin, the member for the Sturry North ward on Canterbury City Council, says the accident highlights the need for a system to be put in place which allows traffic to move past crash sites.

He said: “Where this accident happened is at the junction of the road to Herne Bay and the roads in and out of Sturry to and from Canterbury and Thanet.

“It obviously jammed the traffic up and we have to look at what we can do when something like this happens.

“I am, however, surprised it could have happened because traffic is usually very slow on the approach to the level crossing.”

Police admit they have no idea how the crash happened and are appealing for information.

They are refusing to reveal the name of the victim, even though an inquest into his death will be held in public later.

Two bunches of flowers were at the scene on Monday morning.

Anyone who has information or who witnessed the accident should call the Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 01622 798538.

The crashed car is removed after the fatal accident near Sturry crossing

Broken fencing near the Sturry crossing and flowers left at the scene of the accident