The man who died in a car accident in the early hours of Christmas Day has been named as 30-year-old Nerijus Partikas.

Mr Partikas lived in Melksham but was originally from Lithuania. His family, none of whom live in the UK, have been informed.

The four other occupants of the car were injured, two of them seriously, but police said yesterday that all are expected to make a full recovery.

The crash happened outside the Cooper Tire factory in Melksham when a blue Audi A6 was travelling from Chippenham on the Bath Road, when it apparently lost control opposite the Unicorn Inn.

It struck a brick wall side-on.

Police, fire and ambulance crews were called at 3.34am, and worked for almost two hours at the scene. Four ambulance crews and a rapid response paramedic worked alongside volunteer doctors from Swift medics to stabilise the passengers.

Two fire appliances from Melksham and Trowbridge used cutting equipment to free them.

One man suffered a cardiac arrest at the scene, and was resuscitated by paramedics. He was taken from the scene by ambulance at 4.24am. The final ambulance left with the last passengers at 5.12am.

The five passengers were all taken to Bath Royal United Hospital where Mr Partikas died. Two other people suffered serious skull and pelvic injuries, while the driver and right-hand side rear passenger suffered serious injuries but their lives were not thought to be in danger. One woman and four men were involved in the crash.

They are all believed to be in their late 20s and early 30s.

The emergency services were contacted by John Brown, landlord of the nearby Unicorn Inn.

He said: “I was eating with my partner when I heard a smash. “I went across the road to the car with one of the security guards from Cooper Tires, the driver seemed to be all right, but the front passenger was in a bad state.

“The people in the back just looked like a pile of clothes.

“I talked to the girl in the back seat, and told her people were on their way.

“The services were all here like a shot.”

Doctors Jonathon Glover and James Mapstone from Swift medics also attended.

Dr Glover said: “Everybody there worked fantastically well. These things are particularly unpleasant for the emergency services during the Christmas period, and we’re glad to have them there at these times.”

The road was closed for six hours.

Wiltshire Police have appealed for witnesses to the incident, and anyone who saw the Audi travelling into Melksham is asked to contact PC Williamson of the serious collision investigation team on 101.