Driver sought over mystery injury of teenage triathlete in the New Forest

A driver is being sought after a mysterious incident that left a 14-year-old triathlete seriously injured.

The teenage girl, who is ranked third for her age in the triathlon, was out training in the New Forest with her father when she raced ahead from him to crest a hill.

While she was out of sight, a silver vehicle overtook the father in the direction of his daughter.

When he eventually caught up with her, he found her seriously injured in the road, and she was taken to Southampton General Hospital with head injuries, a broken collar bone and multiple cuts.

Sergeant Richard Grant from Hampshire Police told the Southampton Daily Echo that police need to establish whether the silver vehicle was involved or whether the girl, from Ferndown, came off her cycle during the incident at 5.30pm on Sunday.

He said: “We want to speak to anyone who may have seen the cyclists before the incident or who may have witnessed it.

“In particular, we need to speak to the driver of a silver vehicle which was travelling in the same direction and overtook the cyclists shortly before the girl was found lying in the road, injured.”

The cyclists were on Crow Hill, towards Christchurch Road, near Ringwood.

The issue of cycling in the New Forest has provoked much debate of late amongst both residents of the national park and the many cyclists who use it - with some residents both resentful of the numbers of cyclists on the Forest roads at weekends - particularly during the recet New Forest Sportive - and apparently concerned about their impact on the local environment while cyclists point to incidences of inconsiderate and agressive driving.