A teenager recovering from a hit and run collision isn’t angry with the driver but her family are furious.
Becky Beswick, 16, was crossing St James Avenue, Upton, on her way to Upton High School about 8.35am on Wednesday when she was clipped by a dark car coming towards her, believed to be a private hire taxi, which simply drove off.
Becky, who was with her friend Ffion at the time of the incident, explained: “Just as we were about to cross, Ffion suddenly noticed this car and jumped back but I moved too late and it hit me.”
The friend helped her out of the road and rang Becky’s dad Stephen who quickly drove to the scene and initially looked after her in the passenger seat of his car. A woman driver pulled over to help and her son dialled 999 for an ambulance which arrived within a few minutes.
“At first it was more like shock, I thought I’d just nearly gone into the road and it had missed me but then realised my legs had started hurting,” added the school girl, whose legs are both badly bruised.
Becky, from Upton, explained that it had been hailing at the time and visibility was poor but feels sure the motorist must have known what had happened.
She said of the driver, whose gender is unknown, but is being sought by police: “I think they could have at least stopped, it’s not like I’m angry, I’m just sort of peeved.”
When Becky arrived by ambulance at the Countess of Chester Hospital, members of her family were there to greet her as her mum is sister Vivienne Beswick, a nurse in A&E, dad works for security at the hospital and family friend ‘auntie Del’, Delyth Aldous, is the hospital coordinator. Big sister Mel, who used to work in mental health on the Countess of Chester Health Park, also turned up.
Asked whether it was reassuring or embarrassing to see everyone, the teenager replied ‘a bit of both’. Becky says she is a fairly quiet person and not used to being centre of attention.
After being discharged she went home for a sleep but later got caught up in all the fuss. “There were just loads of people messaging me and texting me. There were people trying to add me on Facebook that I don’t even talk to!” she added. Becky found it hard to sleep that night and kept ‘thinking a lot’ about how close she came to being seriously hurt.
“I’m not really looking forward to going back to school just because I have to cross that road again.”
Sister Mel Avci, who lives in Kingsway, hopes a witness will come forward with vital information that will bring the driver to book.
She said: “If he’d just stopped he might have got into a bit of trouble but he could have moved on from that and if anything he would probably have looked like a good person for stopping. But to have driven off, to hope to get away with it, doesn’t show very good character. They will definitely lose their licence, their job and could possibly go to jail at this point.”
The vehicle which failed to stop is described as being a black or possibly dark blue private hire taxi. Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident or has any other information which may help their investigation to call them on 101 quoting incident 163 of 28/1/15. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
