Cyclists are run over by bus and lorry

A cyclist was fighting for his life today and another has serious leg injuries after two accidents in central London.

Police said a male cyclist was critical after being hit by a lorry in Vauxhall this morning. Witnesses told how his bicycle was dragged along the road by the HGV before the driver realised what had happened.

In Aldwych, a cyclist was left with "life changing" leg injuries after being run over by a number 243 double-decker bus.

There was chaos on roads closed while the emergency services dealt with the victims.

The first accident happened at about 7.45am today outside Vauxhall Tube. It is believed the cyclist, thought to have been a courier, was hit from behind by the lorry. The bicycle was dragged along Vauxhall bridge before the driver realised.

Police said the cyclist was initially in a critical condition but had now been stabilised.

Sean Skinner tweeted: "Looks like cyclist hit from behind by large refuse lorry at lights and bike dragged underneath for over 200m." The Aldwych accident happened at 9am outside the Waldorf Hilton hotel.

Abi Sultana, 27, who was working at a café opposite the scene, said: "The bus was pulling into the stop and the guy tried to overtake from the inside.

"I saw him lying on the floor and there was loads of blood coming from his leg. He couldn't move."

Another witness said the victim was in his fifties or sixties and was left lying under the bus in a pool of blood.

He wrote on a blog: "I was 20ft behind the bus so didn't see what happened, just saw the bus suddenly stop and two cyclists behind bounce into each other (both unhurt). Then a girl screamed and I could see the poor guy lying halfway under the middle of the bus, his bike was stuck mangled under the front axle."