RESIDENTS have spoken of their sadness following the death of a cyclist involved in a crash with a cement truck.

Emergency services rushed to London Road in Clacton just before 9am this morning after receiving reports of a crash near the Whitehall Academy.

When paramedics arrived at the scene, they found a female cyclist had been involved in a crash but she sadly died at the scene.

Essex Police closed the road between the roundabout at St John’s Road and Wellesley Road and drivers were forced to find alternative routes.

A parent, who asked not to be named, witnessed the accident after dropping their children off at the Whitehall Academy.

They said: “The cyclist was crossing the road and caught the handles on the side of a cement truck and went under it.

“I spoke to the driver who was in deep shock.

“He was in his 50s and burly, but had tears in his eyes. He was devastated.It is such a sad day.

“I had dropped my kids to Whitehall Academy and was on way home when it happened, unfortunately quite a few teenagers walking to school saw it happen.”

One resident, who lives just metres away from where the crash happened, says this isn’t the first time she has seen a fatal accident happen near her house.

She believes a pedestrian crossing needs to be installed and has called for the road to be made safer.

She said: “It is horrendous and a nightmare and now somebody has got killed again - it is awful.

“Something needs to be done about this road.

“When my husband was alive he actually went out so many times to give first aid to a child.

“We have the lollipop lady near the school but once she’s gone you take your life into your own hands when you cross this road because nobody slows down for you.”

Cyclist Sandra Lewis, from Clacton, says she avoids using the road because she thinks it is dangerous.

She often cycles around the town with her 10-year-old son and recalls the time a driver nearly knocked him down.

Sandra said: “It is absolutely shocking, and it is really scary.

“When stuff like this happens, it hits home because I have a child who is 10 years old, and we ride together, and a driver nearly knocked him down once.

“On this road they do drive very erratic and they need to slow down.

“I don’t like the thought of what’s happened and it’s awful - it could have been a child going to school.”

Police teams have spent much of the day carrying out investigation work.

Witnesses are asked to contact the Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 01245 240590 or email CollisionAppeal@essex.pnn.police.uk