A NOTORIOUS black spot on the A38 near Wellington claimed the life of another man at the weekend leading to urgent calls for more safety measures.

Max Jones, 33, from Bishopstoke in Hampshire, was pronounced dead at the scene after his red Volvo was involved in a collision at Whiteball Hill between 7am and 7.30am on Saturday.

Mr Jones was on his way back from a day out at the Cheltenham Gold Cup races, no other car was involved in the accident and police are now investigating the cause of his death.

The married father-of-one was a journalist and worked for the Winchester and Mid Hampshire Observer.

Friends described the popular reporter as a 'gregarious, funny, giant of a man, with a heart of total gold' and his wife Clare is said to be inconsolable.

This is the second fatality on the busy road in just over three months. On December 2 last year Joseph Coate, 17, of Galandhayes in Clayhidon was killed when his Citroen AX pulled out of Holywell Lake onto the road and was involved in a collision with a Ford transit van.

County Councillor Ross Henley has been appealing for more safety measures along the main road for years and after December's tragedy he joined with members of Sampford Arundel and Wellington Without parish councils to step up the campaign.

Cllr Henley is now demanding a full investigation into the black spot. He said: "It is a fast stretch of road, which the county council must look at ways of improving safety. I and the two parish councils on this route have asked for action here for some time and I will be following this up with a further request for a full investigation of the issues concerned.

"Action is long overdue on this site."

Councillors want better visibility on the road, a full investigation into the accident history and what can be done to improve it, more police action on speeding and an increase in monitoring.

The signs and lines along the road were improved 18 months ago to make sure people could see the dangers in the area, but councillors say that is not enough.

In the last five years there have been two fatalities and one minor incident at the spot. Jan Hookings from Somerset County Council confirmed that the matter is now being investigated.

Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward after the collision. Anyone who saw anything is asked to call the collision investigation unit on 0845 456 7000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.