Southwark crash: Motorcyclist fighting for life after being 'pinned by the neck' under rubbish truck

Collision: emergency services are on the scene
‏@ozzy0884
Hannah Al-Othman4 March 2016

A moped rider was today fighting for his life after being "pinned by the neck" under the wheels of a rubbish truck at a busy junction.

The London Air Ambulance was called to the crash near Transport for London's Southwark headquarters during this morning's rush hour.

Police and paramedics battled to free the Vespa rider from beneath the wheels of the lorry in Blackfriars Road at about 9am.

Witnesses said the man, whose age is not yet known, was left trapped beneath the truck's front wheel after the crash by Southwark Tube station.

JayTee Ojo, 29, told the Standard: "We heard the sound and ran to the scene.

"The truck trapped the man under the front tyre. I tried to speak to the driver but he was in shock, the other guys went for the trapped man.

"He was trapped around the neck so I felt that more than the impact puts him at risk.

"I just stood there and called for an ambulance. A police officer arrived quickly who was maybe just driving by."

Another witness, Charlotte Clarke, 24, from Epping, said: "I came outside the station to see a rubbish truck had run over a motorcyclist.

"I thought the man had just been knocked off until I crossed the road and saw that the wheel of the vehicle was on his chest.

"[They were] Absolutely shocking scenes but our emergency services responded quickly and staff from the TfL building helped cordon off the area and control the crowds.

"Praying for him and his family. It was truly one of the worst things I've ever seen."

Avery, 18, from Lewisham, added: "I heard a loud bang and then saw a woman screaming hysterically and waving her arms.

"I saw a recycling van with a motorcycle stuck underneath.

"Within five minutes the road was blocked off with police presence, then an ambulance arrived and a fire truck, traffic was stopped.

"My friend saw a helicopter overhead which seemed to be an ambulance."

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We were called at 9am to Blackfriars Road to reports of a road traffic collision.

"We sent multiple resources including an ambulance crew, an incident response officer and London's Air Ambulance to the scene.

"We treated a patient at the scene and took them as a priority to the Royal London hospital with a doctor from the air ambulance on board."

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Police were called to Blackfriars Road, with the junction of Union Street and the Cut at 9am to reports of a collision with a moped and a lorry.

"London Ambulance Service was also called to the collision.

"The male driver of the moped was taken to an east London hospital and is in a critical condition.

"The lorry driver stopped at the scene. There have been no arrests."

A London Fire Brigade spokesman added: "We were called just after nine o'clock to reports that there was a person trapped.

"Two fire engines and one fire rescue unit are attending."

A TfL spokesperson said: "Blackfriars Road is currently closed southbound at Stamford Street and northbound at St George's Circus following a serious collision."

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