A shopper had to have a brain scan after she was knocked down by a cyclist in the city centre and left lying in a pool of blood.

Kathy Wood, 64, from Deal, was struck by the reckless rider as she walked through the pedestrian precinct in Rose Lane.

But despite coming off his bike, the cyclist simply re-mounted and rode off down the busy street, leaving other shoppers to come to her aid.

Mrs Wood, of Southwall Road, Deal, suffered cuts to the back of her head and severe bruising to her back.

She was taken to hospital and underwent an X-ray and CT scan which fortunately revealed no internal damage.

Police are still trying to trace the rogue cyclist and are appealing for information after the incident last month when she was shopping with husband Michael.

She said: "The rider seemed to come towards me at speed from nowhere and I couldn’t get out of his way in time.

"I could see a lot of blood around me and people rushed up to help" - Kathy Wood

"I went down with a hell of a bang and the back of my head hit the pavement with a crack. I just remember seeing him get straight back on his bike and shooting off, winging at someone else as he went. But he must have known I was hurt.

“I could see a lot of blood around me and people rushed up to help, covering me with a coat and calling an ambulance.

“One gentleman even dashed to a nearby building society where my husband had gone just before the collision to let him know what had happened.

“Everyone was very kind and concerned and the ambulance and hospital staff were superb.

“I spent seven hours in A&E but thankfully the test showed there was no serious damage, although I was feeling pretty rough and shaken up.”

But Mrs Wood, a former postwoman and hotel receptionist, added: “It seems the only CCTV of the incident showed just the back of the cyclist but I remember he was wearing a blue jacket with a large pale yellow square motif on the front.

“He has got off scot-free after leaving me in a big pool of blood and my lovely leather jacket and handbag damaged.”

David Currie, head of the Kent Police Central Process Unit, said: “Unlike motorists, cyclists are not obliged by law to stop and exchange details following a road traffic collision.

“However, under the Road Traffic Act, it is an offence for a cyclist to ride recklessly on a road or in a dangerous, careless or inconsiderate manner.

“Inquiries into the circumstances of the incident are ongoing and police would like to speak to the male cyclist involved.

“He is described as aged about 55, white and of a medium build with dark hair and was riding a blue bicycle."

Anyone with information is asked to call 01843 222289 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111, quoting reference number KP-20160224-0716.