The roundabout at the junction of Whitworth Road and Crossways AvenueA HIT and run moped rider who ran over a 75-year-old woman and left her badly injured in the road must be caught, say police.

The grandmother of four, who suffers from heart problems, was at the junction of Whitworth Road and Crossways Avenue at 4.23pm on Tuesday when the rider of a stolen moped collided with her, knocking her to the floor.

The pensioner was left with one broken leg and a deep gash on the other but instead of helping her the rider jumped back on to his moped and rode off.

The woman's 39-year-old daughter, who asked for her name and her mother's to be withheld, said she was shocked by what had happened

"My mother is very shaken and she has been reliving the experience over and over wondering what she could have done differently," she said.

"But there is nothing she could have done.

"Obviously you go through all the emotions.

"You feel sadness about why the person did this then anger about how they could have done it."

She described her mother, a widow who has two daughters and four grandchildren, as very independent and said that until her injuries have healed her lifestyle would change dramatically.

"It does make you angry a very active 75 year-old's life has now been turned around in one split second," she said.

"My mum is very independent and she likes to do activities with the children and go around on the bus.

"But obviously that has been curtailed for a bit now."

She is urging anyone who thinks they know who the moped rider was to get in touch with the police.

"If anybody has any information then please come forward." she said. "We would be very grateful."

WPC Amanda Lord was at the scene of the accident.

She said: "I think it's shocking to leave in an elderly lady in the middle of the road.

"Luckily, some passers-by stopped to help her and one of the them was a nurse who administered first aid. The lady was very shocked and did not understand what had happened until the passers-by told her.

"There was particular concern because the lady suffers from angina.

"She was taken to hospital and her daughters arrived shortly afterwards."

The police have no information about the moped rider other than he or she was driving a stolen silver moped.

They say the rider must have been injured.

Residents said the moped rider chatted to motorists moments before fleeing.

Jean Ralph, 74, of Pinehurst Road, said: "There was a loud bang and my grandson, Ben, rushed outside and saw the man chatting to two motorists who had stopped to help the elderly lady.

"It's a very dangerous stretch of road. Nobody seems to slow down when they approach the roundabout."

Adamay Meacham, 84, of Whitworth Road, added: "It's like London here with the traffic. I think it's disgusting he didn't stay until the police came."

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 01793 528111.

Diana Milne