Teenager '˜thrown into air' in late night collision

The 18-year-old from Poulton suffered fractures to his left ankle, knee, wrist, collarbone and pelvis, as well as swelling to the brain and further injuries to his head and stomach when he was involved in a collision with an Audi car in Talbot Square in the early hours of Tuesday.

He continues to be treated at the Royal Preston Hospital.

Ashley Hirst, 19, was on a night out and witnessed the horror.

The DJ had just come out of HQ nightclub when he saw the car and pedestrian.

He said: “The lad was thrown up in the air by the impact – the way he landed you could see he was in a bad way.

“I rushed over and a few of us helped support his head, stayed with him.

“There were people wanting to move him but we knew not to, we had to tell them to leave him until the ambulance came.

“I didn’t know the lad but I just hope he makes a full recovery.”

The teenager was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital before being transferred to Royal Preston Hospital.

Police are asking for witnesses to the accident to come forward and are hoping dashboard cameras in taxis may have captured the incident.

Sgt Nigel Ralphson, of Lancashire Police’s Roads Policing Unit, said: “An 18-year-old man has suffered serious injuries and we want to establish exactly what happened.

“While we have made an arrest, we would be keen to speak to any witnesses we have not yet interviewed.

“Furthermore, we would like to speak to any taxi drivers in the area using dashboard-mounted cameras who may have footage of the Audi or victim immediately before or at the time of the collision.”

Anyone with information can contact police on 101 quoting log reference 0081 of January 3.

The driver of the Audi, a 44-year-old man from Leyland, was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and causing injury by dangerous driving and is currently in custody.