A CYCLIST suffered multiple injuries and was left for dead by a hit-and-run driver.
John Dolby says he is lucky to be alive after he was knocked off his bike by a motorist, who failed to stop following the incident on the A264, at Copthorne, on Wednesday last week.
The keen cyclist from Horley was training with his brother Rob ahead of the London to Brighton Bike Ride, when the wing mirror of a passing car clipped his bike – sending him flying over the handlebars.
The 23-year-old, of Southlands Avenue, said: "We were cycling along from the Duke's Head roundabout towards Crawley and we stepped up a gear to make it easier for traffic, which was when I heard this loud engine noise. It sounded like it was accelerating really fast.
"A car whizzed past and its wing mirror clipped my handle bars and I flew straight over them.
"I put my hands out to try and stop my head from hitting the ground, because I wasn't wearing a helmet, and the impact wasn't good. I could have been killed."
But despite sustaining a twisted ankle, a fractured elbow, and a bruised knee and ribs, Mr Dolby has vowed to still compete in the London to Brighton ride in June.
"I don't care how injured I am, I'm still going to do it . Even if I've got my arm in a cast, there's no way I'm letting something like this spoil it.
"I lost my auntie and my nan to cancer, and my great aunt is currently battling brain cancer, so I'm doing the ride for them and for Macmillan Cancer Support."
Mr Dolby, who works as a baggage handler at Gatwick Airport, was taken to East Surrey Hospital, in Redhill, for treatment following the collision, which occurred during the evening rush hour at about 6.30pm and involved a black Peugeot.
He said: "I would like the driver to come and say sorry, and explain the reason they just drove off, because how anyone can do that is beyond me."
His mother, Maggie, added: "My concern is that this driver hit my son and simply drove off without stopping. It's wrong.
"My poor son has worked so hard for his bike and he's doing this bike ride for a specific reason.
"The person responsible is not doing themselves any favours because we know there were several witnesses who must have recorded at least part of their number plate. We want to jog people's memories and get them to go to the police, because someone must have seen something."
Sussex Police are appealing for witnesses to the collision.
Anyone with any information should call 101 or e-mail collision.appeal@sus sex.pnn.police.uk.
