THIS is the little girl left in agony when an irresponsible cyclist ploughed into her in the dark on a pavement in Bournemouth.
Sienna Barnett, who is just four years old, has been left with two breaks to her lower left leg following the hit-and-run incident in Southbourne Grove.
Now police have issued a CCTV picture of a man they would like to interview as part of their inquiry.
Sienna, a reception class pupil, has been forced to pull out of her first school nativity play and ballet classes.
Her mum Bonnie has appealed for the public’s help in tracing the cyclist, who collided with her outside the family’s shop, TD Fruits, just before 5pm closing time on Saturday.
Sienna, a pupil at St Thomas Garnet’s in Southbourne, screamed in agony when the cyclist knocked her down in front of her horrified mum.
“He came tearing down the pavement really fast and Sienna had only taken one step from the shop doorway when he hit her” said Bonnie.
“She just screamed ‘my leg, my leg’ and I knew staightaway that it was serious.”
Bonnie said the cyclist stopped briefly when he was challenged by a passer-by but said: “I am trying to say sorry, what more do you want?” before riding off.
Sienna – who has two sisters, 18-year-old Georgia and Elly, 14 – was taken to Royal Bournemouth Hospital, where a temporary cast was fitted, and went to the Poole Fracture Clinic yesterday to have a full cast put on.
Little Sienna said: “The man on the bike was in the dark and he didn’t even have any lights on or anything. My leg really hurts.”
And Bonnie told how her father was hit by a cyclist in almost the same spot two years ago.
“The pavements are quite wide in Southbourne Grove so people think they can get away with riding on them,” she added.
Sgt Sarah Jones of Dorset’s traffic unit said: “I am now able to release a picture of a man that we wish to speak with. I am appealing for this man, and anyone who recognises this man, to contact me urgently. I am also keen to hear from anyone who witnessed the collision and, in particular, anyone who may have challenged the cyclist following the collision.”
Police have urged any witnesses or those with information to call them on 101 quoting incident number 19:491 or the free and anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.
The offender is described as a white male, 18 to 22-years-old, with short hair, dark clothing and a dark-coloured mountain bike.
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