CCTV shows hit-and-run driver knocking down cyclist

Police are hunting a hit-and-run driver who was caught on CCTV knocking down a cyclist before reversing and speeding away.

The female cyclist was left in the middle of the road after she was hit as she rode across a junction in the early hours.

Shocking footage of the crash, which happened at 4.20am on Wednesday, was captured on CCTV.

It shows a cyclist riding across the junction of Fosse Road South and Upperton Road, in Leicester.

Moments later a car ploughs into the side of the rider sending her onto the road.

The car then reverses at speed before driving off, leaving the cyclist lying badly injured.

The victim was finally helped by a passing motorist and shopkeeper Subhas Varambhia who dialed 999.

She was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The cyclist, who was approaching the junction at a right angle to the vehicle, appears on the footage to have ignored a red light as she crossed it.

Footage from a second camera also shows the car appearing to slow down as the driver approaches a red traffic light at the junction, but accelerates as the light turns green.

Mr Varambhia, owner of Snutch News whose security cameras recorded the crash, said: "The driver stopped for a few seconds, but then reversed and drove away.

"How could you do that? How could you leave someone like that. The driver didn't even get out of the car to see if she was alive.

"The woman was lying in the road and screaming in pain.

"Neighbours came out to help her and someone called an ambulance. She was clearly in a lot of pain. Any movement seemed to hurt her. She did seem to be in a lot of distress."

Mr Varambhia said that when paramedics arrived, they put her in a neck brace and her legs were secured before she was taken to hospital by ambulance.

A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman said: "We were called at 4.27am to a report of a collision.

"Officers attended and the woman was taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary as a precaution.

"Inquiries are being carried out to find the vehicle, which did not stop."