Cyclist dragged under wheels of lorry dies in horror accident

A CYCLIST has been killed after being dragged underneath a lorry following a collision in the Capital.

The accident happened at around 9.30am today at the corner of Nicolson Street and West Richmond Street. The collision happened as the cyclist was turning left into Nicolson Street from West Richmond Street.

The tipper lorry is owned by NWH Construction Services.

It is believed the 35-year-old male cyclist was dragged underneath the vehicle.

Emergency services were called to the scene and the area was cordoned off. Traffic was diverted away. A police investigation has been launched.

Brian Lawrie, a shopworker in Farmfoods, on the corner of West Richmond Street, said: "I was stood looking out of the window and I just saw it out of the corner of my eye. I just saw the cyclist lying on his front. The bike had been flattened. The lorry driver stopped and ran over and five or ten minutes later, the ambulance and the police came."

The manager of Victoria Wine on Nicolson Street, who did not wish to be named. described what he saw. He said: "I got into work at 9.30am to open the shop. The cyclist was coming round the corner. I just saw him lying on the floor. After that they shut the road off and cordoned off the area."

Mark Williams, director of NWH Construction Services said his company was now carrying out an investigation into the accident.

He said: "We are aware of what has happened. The driver of the lorry was one of our employees.

"We have sent our accident investigating officer to the site and we are going to wait for the results of the report."

Today's fatal accident is the latest in a series of incidents involving cyclists in the Capital. Last week, a man escaped with a broken ankle after being trapped under the wheels of a coach carrying children in Tollcross.

The fire service lifted the vehicle off the cyclist's trapped leg using air bags following the accident opposite the King's Theatre.

And earlier this month, a cyclist was seriously injured after colliding with a car in Roseburn near Murrayfield Stadium.

The driver of the red Fiat Punto was turning right out of Roseburn Street towards the centre of town when the car collided with the cyclist, who was travelling along Roseburn Terrace from the centre of town towards Costorphine.

A police spokesman appealed for witnesses to today's collision and said: "The victim is a 35 year-old man. It appears he was turning left into Nicolson Street from West Richmond Street when he was struck.

"An investigation is under way to establish the cause of the collision and the driver of the lorry is helping us with our enquiries."