A TEENAGER has told of the frightening moment he came off his moped.

Robert Carter was riding along Queen’s Park Road in Brighton on his way to a taster day at Varndean college in Brighton.

But instead of meeting new friends, he spent the day in hospital after coming off the moped when he tried to avoid a car near Carlyle Street.

The 16-year-old said: “My first instinct was to blast my horn.

“But when I realised there was no way I could get out of the way I slammed on my brakes, trying to come to a stop and not hit the car.

“It was scary because your adrenaline is pumping and you don’t know whether any serious damage had happened.

“As soon as I landed on the floor I felt a bad shock down my leg.”

Robert, who lives in Wiston Road, Brighton, was taken to hospital on a neck-board where he was hooked to an intravenous drip to “calm down the pain”.

His mother Vicky, 44, who was working at the Asda at Brighton Marina at the time, left work to rush to the hospital.

Robert was released after spending four hours there having a number of scans. Doctors found the teenager had suffered bruising to his chest and neck.

Robert’s father Jon Carter, 47, who works at Gatwick, said his son was “lucky”.

He said: “I was working at the airport when I received the message that my son had been in the accident. I then got a call from the ambulance saying he had pain in his legs, but he was conscious.

“I’m a motorbiker myself and I know what injuries can happen.

“Luckily he got away with bruising, but if he hit the car, that would have been another matter.”

Robert’s family is appealing for anyone who may have seen the accident to come forward.

Jon said: “He has still got twinges in his lower back.

“We tried to recover the bike, but we couldn’t get the engine started.”

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “We are appealing for witnesses to an incident in Queen’s Park Road, Brighton, on Wednesday, June 26, in which a 16-year-old motorcycle rider sustained a leg injury.

“The boy fell from his motorbike about 10am, close to the junction with Carlyle Street, after reportedly braking hard to avoid a black Skoda Fabia, driven by a 60-year-old woman from Brighton. He was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital for treatment, but not detained.

“Any witnesses are asked to report online or call 101 quoting serial 405 of 26/06.”