Shocked community tell of safety concerns after pensioner hit by car in Market Drayton
A community is in shock after a man in his 80s was left in a critical condition after being hit by a car.
The pensioner was seriously injured after he was hit by a Peugeot 207 in Shrewsbury Road, Market Drayton, shortly before 7.30am. Witnesses reported seeing an air ambulance helicopter land in a nearby field before police confirmed he had been taken to Royal Stoke Hospital by road.
A spokeswoman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said crews found a seriously injured pedestrian who received trauma care before being conveyed by land ambulance on blue lights to Royal Stoke University Hospital for further emergency care.
An area of around 100m of Shrewsbury Road - running parallel to Salisbury Road - has been taped off for several hours. Many concerned residents and passers-by were at the scene as investigators inspected the Peugeot.
One said: "We heard the air ambulance circling above. We heard that an elderly man had been hit by a car."
Another Shrewsbury Road resident who lives close to where the collision took place, said: "We saw the cars at about 8am. My partner opened his curtains and saw it all. The police were dealing with it. It must have happened earlier."
A couple of local people said there were safety concerns over speeding drivers on Shrewsbury Road, although there is no suggestion speeding was to blame. Police are investigating and will look to uncover the cause of the crash.
One said: "You do get boy racers down here. They use it as a drag strip. It can be dangerous on school runs as well. A couple of accidents have happened here. It can be terrible at night."
West Mercia Police initially said on social media at around 9am that a road traffic collision had taken place on Shrewsbury Road, the road was closed and officers were in attendance. Residents reported seeing an air ambulance helicopter flying above and taking off from the town park at around 9am.
Later, a police spokeswoman said: "Officers were called to Shrewsbury Road at around 7.25am following reports of a collision involving a silver Peugeot 207 and a pedestrian.
"The pedestrian, a man aged in his 80s, was taken to hospital with serious injuries where he remains in a critical condition."
So far nobody has been arrested in connection with the incident.
Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or captured dash-cam footage is asked to report it online via the West Mercia Police website quoting incident 143i of 16 October, 2022, or by calling 101.
Information can also be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org.
