A BT engineer died after he was hit by a van as he worked on a notorious bend on a busy road.

The 46 year-old man, who has not been named, died at the scene despite attempts to save him by a doctor who lives nearby.

GP Philip Polwin was the first on the scene after the accident on the A272 at 1.55pm on Monday.

Police are investigating how it happened.

The driver of the Ford Transit, a 55-year-old man from Surrey, escaped injury after his van left the road and ended up on the grass verge.

It is understood the engineer was carrying out minor repairs to phone lines when the accident happened.

It is the latest incident on the notorious stretch of road where neighbours have been calling for safety improvements.

The accident happened days after West Sussex County Council announced a major review of the A272 to improve safety.

There have been 75 accidents on the same stretch of road during the last three years.

At least 12 of these were described as serious.

There have also been 13 deaths on the A272 since 2003.

A neighbour who lives just yards from the junction with Wooddale Lane, where the latest accident took place, said: "We've had three serious accidents on that bend in the road this year.

"Drivers have come off the road and through our wooden fence into our back garden.

"We have been asking for something to be done for ages but nothing has happened. Anything that can be done to improve safety here has got to be done."

Andy Dermot, who lives on the A272 just outside Billingshurst, said: "It's not the first time it's happened.

"Drivers speed through the road and take that corner fast.

"Others have crashed into the bridge 400 metres further east because they've lost control."

Residents described the road outside Billingshurst as a "death trap".

Union representatives and managers from BT are carrying out their own investigations and were taking measurements and photographs of the scene of the accident yesterday.

The A272 was closed as emergency services dealt with the incident.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: "At the moment this is being investigated as a road traffic accident."

Police are appealing for witnesses, especially those who saw the van prior to the collision.

West Sussex County Council said it was carrying out a safety study along the length of the A272 this summer so that improvements can be made, including new safety signs.

Councillor Tex Pemberton said: "There has been public concern about accidents on the A272 and I want to reassure everyone that this is receiving urgent attention."