Aunt saves little niece's life in hit and run accident in Hemel Hempstead

A woman was knocked down by a hit-and-run driver '“ seconds after pushing her little niece out of the way of the speeding motorist.
Zebra crossing outside Hobletts Manor Junior SchoolZebra crossing outside Hobletts Manor Junior School
Zebra crossing outside Hobletts Manor Junior School

Salma Mudassar was lucky not have been killed in the accident on a zebra crossing near Hobletts Manor Junior School in Hemel Hempstead.

Salma, a mum of four, had picked up her five-year-old niece from school and they were walking back to her car when the collision occurred.

In a split-second Salma managed to push her niece off the road to safety as a car sped round a parked skip lorry andstruck her on the crossing, in Adeyfield Road.

Salma, of Montgomery Avenue, Hemel Hempstead, suffered injuries including bleeding to the head and injuries to the right side of her body. The driver failed to stop.

Salma, who was taken to Watford Hospital after the accident, said: “I started crossing the road because on both sides the cars were stopped and suddenly, from behind the skip lorry, a car came and he hit me before driving off.

“My head was bleeding badly and a lady come out of her home to save me; she held my head in the same position for half an hour before a ambulance came; I am so thankful.”

Salma, who spent two days in hospital, is now recovering at home.

But she is appealing for the driver to be caught and for more road safety measures to be put in place outside the school.

She added: “It is a very dangerous place because every day there are a lot of children coming in and out; they should be careful around there and they should take action after this.

“Not everyone is as lucky as me and we should feel safe to cross the road.”

A Herts Police spokesman said: “Following the fail to stop collision in Adeyfield Road on September 24, officers from the road policing unit and intervention teams were immediately deployed to carry out a search of the area as part of efforts to locate the motorist involved.

“Since that time significant enquiries have been on-going behind the scenes to identify the driver of the vehicle and there are a number of lines of enquiry that we are pursuing.”

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is asked to contact PC Sam Swann by emailing [email protected], calling the non-emergency number quoting ISR 542 of 24/9/18 or report information online at www.herts.police.uk/Report. Alternatively, contact the independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

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