A woman has described the harrowing moment she heard screeching brakes as a man on a mobility scooter collided with a car in Margate.

The crash happened on Marine Gardens at around 12.30pm today, and witnesses say the taxi left the scene.

Kerry Keating, 32, said: “I heard the screeching of tyres and brakes and this huge thud, and a cry of pain.

“I ran outside to see an elderly gentleman in his mobility scooter in the middle of the road and luckily he was still upright.

“There was a black taxi at an angle behind the scooter and its bumper was hanging off.

“As I was making the call to the emergency services, the taxi driver fixed his bumper back to his car, looked at me said ‘thank you’ and drove away.

“I was absolutely shocked, he was in a company labelled car and the bumpers come off so it’s not exactly going to be easy to get away with.

“I don’t know what he thinks he’s going to be able to.”

Police spokesman Scarlet Jones said: “Kent Police received a report of a collision at 12.50pm on Wednesday, March 16, involving a pedestrian in a wheelchair and a car.

“Officers attended the scene in Marine Gardens, Margate. Injuries are believed to be minor.

“Inquiries are ongoing to establish the details of the car involved, which reportedly left the scene.”

“I was standing in front of the man on my walking sticks to protect him from the traffic until the police and ambulance arrived..." Kerry Keating

Mrs Keating, who suffers with multiple sclerosis, says she had to stand in front of traffic for nearly 10 minutes.

She said: “I was standing in front of the man on my walking sticks to protect him from the traffic until the police and ambulance arrived.

“I asked another man to try and push the mobility scooter onto the pavement but it was difficult because all the wheels were buckled and bent.

“A bus and other cars were trying to get past.”

Police and ambulance crews attended the scene before treating the man for his injuries.

Mrs Keating said: “Fortunately it looked like the scooter had taken the worst of the impact but the man was complaining of leg and back pain.

“He was in shock and I think he must have been badly winded as he was unable to talk."

SECamb spokesman Richard Airey said: “We received the call at 12.40pm about a reported collision with a car and pedestrian.

“The pedestrian was in an electronic wheelchair.

“One ambulance and one car attended the scene but the patient declined ambulance assistance.

“They did not require hospital treatment and they didn’t need any major treatment at the scene.

“Ambulance crews were cleared from the scene by 1.10pm.”