POLICE are hunting a taxi driver after a hit and run left a 13-year-old girl with shattered ankle and suspected fractured leg.

Alanah Harding is set to go under the knife after she was run over at the junction of Upper North Street and Dyke Road, Brighton, on Friday

She has had to cancel all of her summer plans and her appearance in a forthcoming film is now also in doubt.

Alanah was on her way to the bus stop when she reached the junction shortly after 1pm.

She was waiting to cross the road when a green and white taxi (indicating a Brighton and Hove Hackney cab) approached at speed.

It mounted the pavement and the vehicle's wing mirror clipped the teenager, knocking her back.

The rear wheel then ran over her foot, knocking her to the floor. She put her arms out to try and regain her balance put they slammed off the side of the cab.

To the shock of onlookers, the driver did not stop, despite the heavy impact.

Alanah, who lives in Barcombe Road, Moulscoomb, said: "It all happened so quickly that I didn't realise how badly hurt I was.

"I tried to get up and start walking but because of my ankle I just collapsed on to the road."

As well as shattering her ankle in two places, doctors think she may have a fractured leg and she also received five inch road burns on her arms.

Onlookers rushed to her aid and called police, the ambulance and Alanah's mum, Kirsty.

The 34-year-old said: "It was horrible hearing her on the phone, I was terrified.

"I couldn't drive to the hospital I was in such a state, I was shaking uncontrollably."

Such was the pain, Alanah was given laughing gas and seen to by doctors at the at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.

Following surgery, planned for today (Thursday), she faces eight to 12 weeks in plaster and six months to a year of physio before she is back to normal.

Kirsty said: "It has ruined her summer. She has had a tricky time at school recently and I promised if things got better that I would book for her to do all these activities. She was due to go on a camping trip with her youth team and had been booked to go paintballing, go-karting and to Thorpe Park. None of that is going to happen now."

Alanah is also a promising middle distance runner who has competed for Sussex. The accident has left any future success in doubt.

The teen had also landed a role in a film, set to be shot later this summer. That is also now in doubt.

Kirsty added: "Whoever did this, I just want them to do the right thing and come forward and face the consequences. I don't know how anyone could drive off after hitting someone like that."