Warning to motorists and cyclists after teen has a lucky escape in Sarisbury Green

Joe Smart-Mcmullen (16) escaped with just bruising when he was knocked off his bike outside Brookfield School in Warsash

Joseph Smart-Mcmullen, 16, was cycling home from school at 2.45pm last Thursday when he was hit by a car in Brook Lane, at the Peters Road junction, in Sarisbury Green.

He was thrown up into the air and landed on the car windscreen, smashing it.

The Year 11 pupil, from Brookfield School, was lucky to walk away with just bruises. He was not wearing a helmet.

His school has since issued a warning to all cyclists to wear helmets and his mum, Liz Smart-Mcmullen, urged motorists to be vigilant.

Mrs Smart-Mcmullen, 45, from Warsash, said: ‘If he had been any smaller, then he would have been seriously hurt, but because he’s such a big lad he was only bruised.

‘He was very lucky. The police showed us photos of the accident and it was not very nice.’

Stuart Parkes, deputy headteacher, said: ‘The pupil involved was very fortunate that he wasn’t seriously hurt. We’re delighted as the situation could have turned out a lot worse.

‘We’ve always placed an emphasis on our pupils being safe and wearing helmets and we’re using this incident to reinforce that. It’s something we’re very rigid about.’

The school has sent out safety information to all its parents and is doing nightly checks at the school gates.

Mrs Smart-Mcmullen said: ‘It could have happened anywhere, but the kids don’t always think about what they are doing and the car drivers are in such a hurry.

It was an accident, but he was lucky.

‘The school has been very good, making sure they all wear their helmets when they leave.

‘But I’d like to reinforce that, and tell car drivers to be careful, especially in roads with schools on them at school times.

‘It can be difficult in the winter  when they’re in dark-coloured uniform, but cars need to slow down in school areas and they need to be a bit more careful.’