Cyclist leg crushed

Onlookers watched in horror as Lucy Beesley, of Keymer Crescent, Goring, lay under the lorry for about half an hour last Monday.

Lucy said: "The lorry trapped me and at that point I thought I was going to die. There's no doubt about it."

The crash happened at about 1.45pm in Brougham Road, East Worthing, and has left Lucy in "excruciating" pain. She was cycling from the East Worthing Trading Estate, where she works for Counterpoint MTC, to the Co-op in Ham Road to buy a sandwich for her lunch.

She said: "All I can remember is that I was cycling straight along the road and, before I knew it, the back of the lorry was coming towards me. It felt like a trap. The bike went under the wheels and so did I.

"I managed to twist my head and body out from under the lorry, but the wheel was still on my leg. At this point I was screaming a bit from the pain.

"A really helpful guy came rushing over to see if I was all right. I was OK but the lorry was crushing my leg. I said to him 'Can you please ask the driver to reverse off my leg?'. The lorry was on my leg for about two minutes. I don't think the lorry driver realised.

"I thought my leg was going to come off. I thought 'Where's my mum' but she is on holiday at the moment and doesn't get back until Saturday. I have spoken to her a lot, though.

"I still don't know who the driver is."

Lucy has been left with neck injuries, internal stomach and back bruising and crushed bones and muscles in her left leg. She will have permanent scarring and may not be able to feel her foot again.

She was discharged from hospital on Friday after spending five days there.

Doctors say Lucy now faces six months of treatment and waiting to find out if she will make a full recovery.

Lucy only bought the bike a month ago and rode eight miles a day to and from her new job.

She said: "I was cycling as a way of getting to work and a way of keeping fit. I was learning to drive and had my theory test booked for Friday, but there is no way I will be able to drive at the moment.

"The bike is a complete write-off and I am petrified of cycling again.

"As far as I am concerned I am quite a safe cyclist. I would warn cyclists just to be aware of everything around them. You are so vulnerable. I had also booked a holiday to Portugal in September and I can't go on that now. I am having to cancel everything."

The former Durrington High pupil said: "It is really humiliating. At 23 I am unable to do anything for myself. I am completely relying on friends and family to help me out.

"I have just graduated from Liverpool University and got myself a new job which I love. I was really starting to go somewhere. It is so frustrating. I am having to put my life on hold for six months."