A cyclist horrifically injured in a hit-and-run has appealed to the driver responsible to come forward.
Chris Stoddart's back and knees were shattered when he was thrown from his bike in Glasgow three months ago.
The 33-year-old civil servant has been unable to work and is now learning to walk again after he was hit by a van as he travelled on the Carmunnock Bypass near Castlemilk, Lanarkshire Live reports.
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The dad-to-be says he was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital with a shocking catalogue of injuries, and scans showed he had fractured seven vertebrae in his spine and his kneecaps in five places.
Chris has no recollection of being mown down on his way to work on November 30 at 6.45am and says the driver failed to stop.
He explained: "I was cycling my regular route to work when the next thing I know I'm tumbling through the air, then I'm on my back with three strangers looking at me checking I'm okay.
"It turns out I'd been hit from behind and the driver hadn't actually stopped.
"I have no recollection of the van and I couldn't say for sure what happened, but there were very kind witnesses who stayed with me till the ambulance arrived and said the van didn't stop.
"It appeared to have been veering towards me - the police reckon the driver was distracted on a phone or sat nav."
After undergoing surgery to repair his broken kneecaps Chris was transferred to Wishaw Hospital, where he spent a total of two weeks before being sent home in knee braces and crutches, which still restrict his mobility.
"I basically had to learn to walk again, which has not been fun", Chris said.
Chris says the incident has had a huge impact on him mentally as well as physically and that his pregnant wife has struggled to deal with the situation ahead of their baby boy's arrival this summer.
He went on: "I've been very up and down. I was in denial at first, then it hit me how serious it was. It's also frustrating how long it's taking me to get back to normal. I can feel pretty down and upset at times thinking I'm not making the progress I want to make.
"It has been such a big change. Before this I would have been cycling three or four times a week and going swimming before work and going out for walks with my wife - all of that has been taken away from me.
"While my knees are my main mobility issue, I have broken my back and I've had a lot of back pain recently waking up multiple times through the night with back spasms. If I sit in a chair for any length of time it gets very stiff and painful so even if I was to go back to work I don't know if I could do much.
"We found out shortly before the incident we were expecting so it was a big worry at the time, how this was going to affect my wife and the baby.
"It's been very stressful, she's struggled with pregnancy symptoms and having to come and visit me in hospital every day. And with my lack of mobility since getting out the hospital she's had to do a lot more round the house. It's been a lot for her."
With no CCTV footage in the area, the police have nothing to go on and are reliant on someone coming forward with fresh information.
Pleading to the perpetrator to come forward and asking for the public's help to trace the driver, Chris said: "If the driver reads this and they have a conscience, please come forward.
"For anyone who may have dashcam footage or who knows anything I would ask them to think how they would feel if they were in my situation.
"I just can't believe someone could do this to someone, leaving them and not knowing if they lived or died, and continue happily living their life.
"It has definitely put doubt into my head about cycling on the road again, especially with a baby on the way. I can't say for certain right now if I will cycle again, but I'm definitely doubting it which is sad, because I genuinely love doing it."
Sergeant Gary Mackie of East Kilbride Police Station said: "We are keen to speak to anyone who either witnessed the scene or may have dashcam footage whilst traveling at the material time.
"If you have any information you believe may assist officers, please contact Police via the 101 service and quote reference number 0379 of 30 November, 2022."
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