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A cyclist left hurt, confused and scared after an unprovoked attack has vowed to never ride again.
Anthony Worrell-Dearing, of Newton Abbot Road, Northfleet, had been out cycling on his Merida road bike.
The 58-year-old Dartford bus driver was riding along a cycle path next to the Cyclopark at around 7.30am on May 5 when he spotted two women in their late 20s or early 30s walking in front of him.
Anthony says he called out as he usually would to let them know of his presence.
He said: "I understand the area isn't just for cyclists. I am always respectful of walkers and dogs. If I see them, I always say 'Good morning' or 'Hello', so they know I am there.
"The women were walking in the same direction as I was cycling so they couldn't have seen me. I called out and they turned around. Seeing me, they moved over to the right side of the path, giving me space to overtake on the left.
"I couldn't have been doing more than 12mph, I was making sure to pass them safely and I thought they had moved over to allow me to do so.
"However, as I passed them one of the women deliberately walked across my path at almost running pace."
The impact left Anthony unable to move and crying out in pain on the ground.
"All they did was look at me and walk away," he said. "They didn't say a single thing. All I knew was that I was hurting but they didn't even ask if I was okay.
"I couldn't believe what had happened. I was in so much pain.
"Around 10 minutes passed and another cyclist arrived and tried to help me out as much as he could.
"It was when another rider came past that calling an ambulance was suggested.
"I didn't really want all the fuss. I thought I had just been badly bruised and was feeling sorry for myself."
Anthony thought he may have been able to get himself to his feet but after a few attempts he realised it was impossible.
He said: "I was in so much pain, so in the end we called an ambulance, but due to where I had fallen off my bike the ambulance couldn't get to me because the gates by the Cyclopark were closed.
"It took them two hours to get me to the hospital. I don't remember much as I was on a high dosage of morphine but the ambulance crew were amazing. I have no idea how they got me out of there on that stretcher."
After arriving at Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham, it was found Anthony had a fractured pelvis, fractured spine, dislocated shoulder and ruptured kidneys.
He added: "I don't know why they did what they did. I didn't do anything wrong, I have nothing to hide, I just want to make other cyclists aware of what people can do."
Anthony lives with his wife of six years, Vicky, 50, and since the accident, hasn't been able to make it up the stairs to his bedroom, so she has created a makeshift bed downstairs.
He said: "My wife has been brilliant. The hospital has said my recovery time could be anything from eight to 12 weeks. But last weekend a cyst on my kidney that I didn't know I had, which was also caused by the incident, burst and I had to go to hospital again.
"The cyclist who helped me, actually took that picture of me with the ambulance crew. At first I didn't really want to look at it. It's still hard but now looking back at it I realise what a state I was left in and I did nothing to deserve it.
"I might be 58 but I was fit and healthy. I've ran many marathons in the past for charity, I've ridden in the Surrey 100 mile bike ride, I'm not a slouch but this accident has left me down and I can't get up.
"I don't think I'll ride a bike, not ever again. I trust myself just not other people."
Police spokesman James Walker, said: "We received a report that a man was deliberately knocked off his bike by a woman while he used a cycle path between 7.30am and 7.45am on Tuesday, May 5. The victim sustained an injury to his shoulder."
Anyone with information is asked to call the police on 01474 366149 quoting 46/83257/20, you can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555111 or using the anonymous online form, here.
