Cyclist '˜battered' by crash in Storrington but home from hospital

Brian Thompson admitted he took a ‘battering’ after he was knocked off his bicycle by a car in the High Street at about 10am.

He was taken to St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester but was able to return to his Storrington home later in the evening.

The 83-year-old said: “I wasn’t aware what had happened because I couldn’t remember being hit.

“I was suddenly aware I was lying flat on my back and there were people milling around.”

Mr Thompson explained that he had some pain in his back and ribs, but hospital scans revealed that he was not seriously hurt.

He believes he was unconscious for about 20 minutes, and said the incident occurred when the car behind attempted to overtake him and moved back inside too quickly.

He said: “As a cyclist I don’t go up the inside of traffic, I keep in line.

“It was a silly thing for the driver to try to overtake in that space.

“My theory is he was trying to get out of the way of the lorry coming the other way.”

However, he said that despite the crash, he would be getting back in the saddle.

A police spokesman said: “An air ambulance was called, but was stood down by paramedics before it arrived as it was not needed.”

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