A cyclist was hospitalised with serious head injuries after falling from his bike following a collision with a pick-up truck.

Paramedics attended to the male cyclist on the floor for about 30 minutes following the collision at the junction of Church Road and The Drive in Hove at just before 3.30pm yesterday (September 19).

Onlookers rushed to the man’s aid outside Caffé Nero after hearing a scream and a loud crashing noise.

Eyewitnesses said the man had blood pouring from a head wound.

An air ambulance landed in Grand Avenue but the cyclist was eventually taken to hospital by an ambulance.

Last night he was described as being in a stable condition at Royal Sussex County Hospital , Brighton.

A small section of The Drive and Church Road was closed for more than two hours after the incident as police officers measured the crash site and removed the pick-up truck from the scene. Eyewitnesses said the layout of the junction and the interjoining cycle lane meant near misses were common at the site of the accident.

The previous Conservative administration of Brighton and Hove City Council had considered scrapping the cycle lane at a cost of £1.1 million last year over safety concerns but the incoming Green administration instead agreed improvements.

Shocked

Adrian King, 55, owner of Centrepoint in Church Road, said: “While I have been standing here I’ve seen a number of cyclists go through red lights.

“When cyclists are going up the cycle lane they are in the blind spots of motorists turning and they don’t stand a chance.

“They spent a fortune on the cycle lane but it doesn’t look like it is making it any safer for cyclists.”

Another employee working nearby who didn’t want to be identified said: “You see cyclists going through red lights here every day.”

Michael Tosh, 25 and manager of Caffé Nero, said the incident happened right outside his shop.

He said: “One of our regular customers saw it happen and she was just left in shock.

“We went outside to help him and gave him some loo roll but then the paramedics arrived pretty sharpish.

“He was bleeding quite a lot from his head.”

Anybody who witnessed the incident should contact Sussex Police on 101.