A NEWSPAPER columnist has called for dog walkers to keep their pets under control after he broke his hip when one ran in front of his bike.

Adam Trimingham, who was a reporter at The Argus for 30 years and still writes for the paper each week, was riding along the cycle lane close to the King Alfred leisure centre in Hove when a dog ran out and he was badly hurt.

He said: “It was a large, solid dog and although it had a lead, there was no one holding it at the other end.

“I came crashing to the ground and I felt a searing pain. It soon transpired that I had broken my right hip - less than four months after smashing the left hip in another accident.

“There were a lot of people about and some of them tried to help me. I was moved from the cycle lane over to a point near the seafront railings.

“Among them was the dog’s owner who lingered for a while before disappearing. I knew that I should ask for his name and phone number but lying in pain on the prom I was not able to do this.”

The collision happened on May 10 but the 75-year-old is still recovering and decided to speak out.

Mr Trimingham, who lives in Hove, said: “I think people need to keep their dogs under control. It has got worse as there’s more dogs and owners need to abide by the rules and have them on a lead on the seafront.”

He said he would like the dog owner prosecuted, not to be punished but as a warning.

Sadly for Mr Trimingham the crash has put an end to his cycling days after using a bike to cover stories across the city for so long.

Among the events covered by him was the Brighton bombing in 1984.

Since then he has been honoured by being made the Freeman of the city.

He added: “Both hips are now on the mend although they will never be quite the same again. But far worse than that is the fact that I have not been on a bike for six months.

“I love cycling. It is a way of life for me and my main means of transport. I have been riding one since I was four years old.”

Mr Trimingham called for the dog owner to come forward.

“If that man has a conscience, he should come forward even now and admit responsibility for the crash. I don’t want to see him face a large fine but I do want to see him prosecuted.

“On that day I had noticed new signs painted on the prom warning dog owners that their pets must be on a lead.”