Boy terrified after being 'hit by e-bike at park'

The mother of an eight-year-old boy has said he has been left "terrified" after being knocked down by an e-bike in a park.

Priyanka said she was playing with her son in Bridgford Park in West Bridgford on the first day of the summer holidays when two teenagers on an e-bike came at "full speed" and hit him.

She said he was taken to A&E at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham after being left with a tyre mark on his neck and showing signs of concussion. He was treated for swelling and soft tissue damage.

Nottinghamshire Police said it immediately put a dispersal order in place to tackle reports of anti-social behaviour in the park and was investigating the incident.

Priyanka said her son was lucky to have escaped with only minor injuries during the incident, which happened at about 19:00 BST on 27 July as she played ball with him just outside the children's gated playground.

Police said it had been called to reports of anti-social behaviour in Bridgford Park at 18:34 BST but Priyanka said there had been no sign of any teenagers when her family had arrived.

"My son was coming towards me to catch the ball and was looking at the sky.

"Suddenly the bike, ridden by two teenagers wearing face coverings, came out of nowhere and collided with him.

"My son fell down and his spectacles rolled off his face as the bike tyre almost went right into his neck and his head banged on the ground," she said.

Priyanka said she comforted her confused son while her husband, who had been playing with their toddler on the playground nearby, came to help.

The family, who have lived in West Bridgford for four years, said they were shocked by the reaction of the youths as they left the park to take their son home to be treated.

Priyanka said one of the teenagers, who had been riding the bike, offered her husband a £10 note.

"My husband asked what the money was going to do.

"He pointed out that the teenagers on the bike could have killed our son.

"One of them said 'I could run this bike over you' and they ran off after my husband said he would film them," she said.

Priyanka's husband took their son to hospital later that evening after he had vomited, complained of neck pain and showed signs of concussion.

"He was given painkillers for the swelling and seen by three to four doctors.

"We were told to watch for the red flags of [continued] swelling to his neck as it can choke the windpipe - it was so scary," she said.

The family spoke immediately to a nearby policewoman to report the incident and have subsequently been in touch with their local councillor and MP.

Priyanka said the attitude of the teenagers in the aftermath of the incident was startling.

"They were just so arrogant.

"They kept laughing, they weren't even scared when the police officer was there," she said.

In Nottinghamshire, police recently seized more than 60 illegally modified e-bikes as part of a crackdown.

Some were capable of speeds far beyond those allowed by law, including one converted mountain bike officers said could travel at more than 70mph (112.6 km/h).

Priyanka, and her husband Priyatosh, have said they now want tougher measures from policymakers when it comes to the anti-social use of e-bikes and e-scooters in public parks and other family spaces.

Insp Tim Cuthbert, neighbourhood inspector for Rushcliffe, said: "Tackling all forms of anti-social behaviour in our parks and town centres is a priority for my officers and the illegal use of electric bikes, scooters and off-road bikes is a concern for people living and working in West Bridgford.

"In addition to being anti-social and causing a nuisance, these bikes whizzing around like they do put both passing members of the public and the riders themselves at risk of injury.

"We have seized a number of e-bikes in the past month and won't hesitate to take more off the streets when appropriate."

A Rushcliffe Borough Council spokesperson added it was already using private security guards to patrol the park and using CCTV.

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