Cyclist left with back injury after hit-and-run on Long Road near North Anston: Help needed to catch 'cowardly' driver

A CYCLIST knocked off his bike by a hit-and-run driver on a country lane said he was thankful he was not more seriously hurt — but furious with the “cowardly motorist”.

James Fox was on a ride with two fellow Sitwell Cycling Club members on Long Road near North Anston — close to the stretch known as Brampton Straight Mile — at 1pm on Sunday when he was hit by a Honda Civic.

The experienced rider suffered a broken bone in his back and was recovering at home this week.

And he appealed for help in catching the motorist who drove away after the crash.

James, of Stag, said: “I was cycling along the Straight Mile on the way back from our club ride with two other members and the car just came out of nowhere.

“The next thing I knew I was flying through the air.

“My split second reaction was to roll out of the road because I didn’t know if the car was going to come over the top of me.

“I shouted at the other guys to get the reg number, which thankfully they did, so the police should have a good chance of tracking them down.”

James said an ambulance had turned up within ten minutes and he had been taken to hospital where he was given a CT scan and an X-ray and informed he had broken one of his vertebrae.

He said he had banged his head on the road but his helmet had taken most of the impact, adding: “It could have been a lot worse.”

James, who also suffered grazes but no more serious injuries, said he had never been badly hurt while riding on the road before.

He said he was angry with the driver, adding: “I really couldn’t believe he just drove off after ploughing into the back of me.

“He didn’t know what condition I was in so it is very annoying. It’s cowardly.”

Police are investigating and appealed for anyone who may have witnessed the incident or seen the Civic before or after the collision to get in touch on 101 quoting incident 354 of March 5.