Woman 'scared to go out' after e-bike hit her

A woman from East Sussex who was left with broken ribs and a broken wrist after an electric bike crashed into her said she was "very scared of going out now".

Christina Marchand, from Whitehawk in Brighton, was walking to the shops in Whitehawk Road on 19 October when she was hit by a person riding an electric bike on the pavement.

Her family said the 75-year-old was “very independent” but the incident has made her scared to leave the house.

Sussex Police said it was investigating the incident and calling for people to come forward with CCTV footage.

“It was pretty horrific, I was in a lot of pain,” Mrs Marchand told BBC Radio Sussex.

“I couldn’t get up, a lot of people came to help me. The boy [riding the e-bike] didn’t stay around, he did apologise but then he was gone.

“He was going at such a speed that he pushed me along the pavement. I had only just recovered from having broken ribs and now this will take six weeks to heal.

“I didn’t hear him coming because it was an electric bike.”

Mrs Marchand said she couldn’t get out of bed following the incident so had to stay with her son.

Her family said e-bikes and e-scooters were regularly ridden on pavements in the area.

They want to see more police in the Whitehawk area and are calling for legislation banning children under 16 from being able to ride e-bikes.

UK law states that children over 14 are allowed to ride e-bikes. Cyclists riding on the pavement can receive a £30 fixed penalty notice.

Privately owned e-scooters are not allowed to be used on public roads, pavements or cycle lanes.

Mrs Marchand added: “I’m very scared of going out now and am always looking behind me because unfortunately I see them all the time. It’s like this every day.”

Her daughter Emilie Marchand said: “Something really bad will happen one day, there needs to be stricter rules."

A spokesperson for Sussex Police said: "Officers are investigating and have made contact with her to share updates, and to wish her well with her ongoing recovery.

"We encourage people concerned about anti-social behaviour and anti-social cycle riding to report it to us.

"Riders of bicycles and e-bikes are reminded of the Highway Code and that it is illegal to ride on a pavement."

Anyone with information about the incident involving Mrs Marchand is asked to contact police.

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