A GRANDMOTHER has been left frightened to walk along the promenade after she was knocked over from behind by a cyclist while dodging the path of another bicycle.

Joanna Scott, 72, was taking her daily walk along Alum Chine with her husband Peter when a cyclist headed towards them “like he was on a racetrack”.

She quickly stepped aside to avoid the cyclist, but was hit by another bicycle coming from the opposite direction.

She was knocked off her feet and hit the kerb of the promenade, twisting her foot.

She suffered swelling and bruising to her foot and knee and has been housebound ever since the incident on Friday.

She is now calling on the council to better enforce speed restrictions for cyclists along the promenade – if not ban them altogether.

“Bicycles are a big risk on the promenade, and the council have got to try and reduce this,” she said.

“It was 5.30pm when it happened and very quiet on the promenade. Suddenly we saw this guy coming towards us, pedalling like a maniac. It looked like he was on a racetrack.

He didn’t look like he was going to slow down so I stepped aside. Just then, a bike came and hit me from behind and knocked me straight up in the air.

“I was aware my head could hit the kerb and put my hands out to save me, which jolted my arms, shoulders and neck, causing a lot of pain.”

She added: “I don’t know how she didn’t see the other bike coming towards us and think we might move over. Somebody should have slowed down.”

She said both cyclists stopped to check she was ok. She did not go to hospital but has been left shaken by the incident.

“It’s put me off walking along the promenade. I’m very fearful to go down there now and we live just a few minutes from it.

“It’s not relaxing anymore knowing that, no matter how careful we are, we can be whipped off our feet by a cyclist from nowhere. Surely Alum Chine’s Blue Flag award for safety applies to all of the beach areas?

“The promenade should be used as a means to get from A to B, not as a way of working out at 20mph. These cyclists show a total disregard for pedestrians.”

Currently Bournemouth council’s cycling regulations allow for cycling at all times – with the exception of the summer when cycling is banned along the promenade from 10am to 6pm throughout July and August.

Andrew Brown, seafront operations manager for Bournemouth council, said: “We are sorry to hear someone was injured on our seafront and we send our best wishes to the individual concerned. Our staff were not involved in this incident so we are unable to comment on the specific details.

“Cycling restrictions come into force on the seafront in July and August between 10am and 6pm otherwise cyclists are welcome to use the promenade alongside all our visitors at all times. “Signage showing the speed limit is in place throughout the length of the seafront and rangers undertake regular patrols to ensure everyone’s safety. We of course encourage cyclists and all our visitors to take responsibility for their actions.”