A nurse gave first aid to a man knocked down on a zebra crossing, the jury in an attempted murder case heard.

Susan Hardingham told a jury she saw the collision and watched the driver speed away.

Pedestrian Sean Jones, 33, suffered brain damage when he was run down by the car in Portland Road, Hove, in July last year.

Driver Gary Brooks, 32, of Dean Gardens, Portslade, denies attempting to murder Mr Jones and causing him grievous bodily harm. He has admitted dangerous driving.

The jury at Hove Crown Court had heard how Mr Jones, who had been drinking, stood on the zebra crossing waving his arms about to flag down a taxi after an evening in a pub.

He stood in front of Brooks's Audi, which stopped but was then seen to move forward and he was knocked down. The car ran over him and sped away with the lights switched off.

Mrs Hardingham was leaving The Portland pub at closing time with her husband and a group of friends when they saw Mr Jones standing in front of the car.

She said: "I saw a man standing on the zebra crossing spread-eagled across the bonnet of a car. He seemed to be under the influence of alcohol.

"He moved round towards the driver's side of the car. The car appeared to shunt forward as if the driver was trying to get him out the way.

"The man span round and went down. There was a sickening noise as he hit the ground.

"The car was desperately trying to get away from the scene. In doing so, the rear wheel went over the body of the man. His body jerked and seemed to leave the ground.

"It was all over in a matter of seconds."

The court heard Mr Jones, who lives in Portslade, was rushed to hospital for treatment to life-threatening injuries. He has only recently returned to work.

Police arrested Brooks later the same night.

He told officers the collision was an accident and he drove away because he was frightened.

The trial continues.