A MOTORIST deliberately knocked a Bournemouth cyclist off his bike, breaking his collarbone in three places.

The driver rammed 43-year-old Stephen Roberts on Burley Road just before the entry to the New Forest village of Brockenhurst.

He pulled level with Stephen, beeped his horn, then swerved into him sending the Iford resident tumbling on to a grass verge.

“Luckily I didn’t land on a kerb stone or anything like that,” said Stephen, a roof tiler.

Stephen is a member of New Forest Cycling Club and was out training on his Cannondale time trial bike at South Weir, just after 2pm on Sunday, September 11.

He was cycling towards Brockenhurst and said two car drivers came through a pinch point at around 40mph, when he believed he had the right of way.

He slammed on his brakes and stopped just in time to give a frustrated ‘V’ gesture to the second car.

The driver turned around and about 90 seconds later knocked Stephen off and drove away without stopping.

Stephen said: “At first it was a numb feeling, then it got a lot more painful. For the first couple of minutes I lay face down just getting myself together because I couldn’t believe what had happened.

“Two or three cars stopped and the people came over to help me – I want to thank them.”

Stephen does not know yet how well his shoulder will heal and whether it will affect his work.

The vehicle involved is described as a black hatchback, possibly with tinted rear windows. It is believed there was a passenger in the car with the man.

A Hampshire Police spokesman said they wanted to talk to a female cyclist, adding that other drivers were in the area at the time.

You can contact PC David Woolfrey at Lymington police station on 101 or the Crimestoppers confidential hotline on 0800 555 111.