POLICE are hunting a hit and run driver in Chester who left a cyclist bleeding from the head and near collapse.
Dean Byrne also suffered a broken hand and badly bruised ribs after he was hit side-on by an unidentified van driver in the Tower Road area of the city before the driver made off.
Reliving his terrifying ordeal father-of-three Mr Byrne, 38, from Highfield Road, Blacon, said the impact was such that it threw him from the bike and his head hit the bonnet of the red van, which he describes as a ‘works, or labourer’s van’, just before midday on Tuesday.
Mr Byrne said after the impact the van driver looked at him and said: “Jesus, look at your face”, before getting back into the van and driving off without offering any aid or calling an ambulance, despite him being in a dazed and confused state.
“I know that I am a very lucky man, It could have been far worse. It was absolutely frightening but I am so glad I am here to tell the tale. It does not bear thinking about what could have happened, and I just can’t believe that someone would just drive away and leave me in such a state,” Mr Byrne said.
Somehow he managed to scramble to his feet and make his way to his brother’s house closeby, but once inside he collapsed and was immediately taken to hospital.
“I was feeling faint, I really don’t know how I managed to get to my brother’s house. I just got to the doorstep and shouted for him to help me. I was dripping with blood and shaking, I can’t even remember getting there.
“I was obviously in a very bad way and so I struggle to understand how anyone could just drive off without making sure I was okay or calling an ambulance. What if it had have been a child? I cannot bear to think of such a thing, the area was built-up with houses. The same thing cannot happen again, next time someone may not be so lucky.”
Police officers are looking at CCTV footage in a bid to identify the driver.
Witnesses to the incident are urged to contact police on 0845 4580000 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 5555.