Kevin Flatt, 37, died when he was hit by a utility vehicle as he walked along the A1065, near Mildenhall – just weeks after the death of his colleague Jeremy Bird, 47, whose refuse truck was involved in a crash.

Coroner Dr Peter Dean held inquests into both men's deaths in Bury St Edmunds on Friday.

Mr Flatt, of Peterhouse Close, Mildenhall, was struck by a green 4x4 Dodge driven by John Hill, of RAF Lakenheath, while walking along the A1065 after visiting his brother, David Flatt.

Minutes before the accident, which occurred at 8.50pm on January 20, motorists had rung the police to warn that drivers were swerving to avoid a pedestrian in the road.

Officers arriving at the scene found Mr Flatt, who was wearing dark, unreflective clothing, had died as a result of his injuries.

A post-mortem examination revealed the cause of death to be a fractured skull, vertebral fractures and multiple other injuries, while a toxicology report showed alcohol levels of 291 milligrams in 100 millilitres of blood – more than three times the legal limit for driving and enough to have impaired the man's judgment, Dr Dean said.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, he said: "Mr Flatt was described as having a zest for life and enjoyed himself to the full.

"It appears that there was very little opportunity for the driver to avoid the collision and Mr Hill had no recollection of seeing anything in the road."

Just two months before, Jeremy Bird, of Centre Drive, Newmarket, died when the refuse lorry he was driving for Forest Heath District Council hit a tree on the A1101 at Icklingham.

Another man was injured after being thrown from the vehicle in the accident, which happened at 12.05pm on November 26 as the truck attempted to overtake a road-sweeping van on the single-carriageway road.

Mr Bird, of Centre Drive, Newmarket, was pronounced dead at the scene. A tacograph showed the lorry had been travelling at 56mph at the time of the accident, above the 40mph limit for vehicles of its class on the stretch of road.

"This does appear to have been a very tragic accident," Dr Dean said. "Our thoughts are very much with his family, friends, and all of those close to him."

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