A teenager has been left with broken bones after a hit and run ... while she was on a pavement.
Rachel Coventry, 18, was left in “agony” and has been unable to work after the incident on October 2 when the wing mirror of a speeding car hit and broke her wrist.
It happened while she was walking on a pavement on Bridge Lane in Holmfirth in between 8.55am and 9.05am and, despite believing the driver must have heard the accident, Rachel said the car was driven off, leaving her with no-one to help.
She reported the incident to the police, which is being treated as a hit and run.
Rachel works as a self-employed hairdresser and also at Uppergate Farm in Hepworth.
She said: “ I’d just got off the bus on Station Road and was walking down the steep Bridge Lane.
“I’d stopped because the pavement had run out in front of me and wanted to check it was safe to continue so turned around.
“Before I’d had chance to carry on a car came zooming down the hill dangerously close to the pavement – there must have been half a centimetre between the left wheels and it.
“I heard a loud bang and felt something in my right wrist go and then immense pain but the car just sped off.
“I’m not sure what make it was because it happened so fast but I think it was black and had a square back.
“I was in shock and panicking but managed to go to the Co-op where one of my friend’s mums works and got taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary where they told me I’d got a bad distal radial fracture and put me in a cast.”
Rachel said the injury has had a bad impact on her life at the moment.
“I’m now in agony and having to take strong painkillers like codeine,” she said. “The other bad thing is that I can’t do any work and as I’m self employed this means I’ve already lost £650 in earnings.
“I’ve been told by the doctors that I’ll be out of work for another two to four weeks, so I’m really struggling.”
She has launched a plea to people to help find the driver.
“I think it’s important to find the person to warn them of their dangerous driving.
“I really don’t want them to do this again – next time they could hit an old person and a mum and child, which could end up a lot worse.
“I hope it also warns other people about the dangers of driving fast down Bridge Lane which is a winding road and can have cars parked on it.”
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any relevant information should call the police on 101 or on Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
In unrelated investigations, police would like to speak to the people pictured in the image gallery below.
The people pictured in the images may be witnesses as well as suspects.
If you recognise anyone, contact police on 101 quoting the reference number on the image caption.
