A MOTORBIKER ploughed into a 15-year-old cyclist while performing a wheelie and then fled, leaving him unconscious in the road.

Jonathan Newman, of Egerton Road, Whitefield, was left motionless on the ground before passers-by came to the rescue and carried him off the road.

He was taken to Bury General Hospital following the accident on Saturday evening (Aug 25), suffering from head wounds and severe bruising to his legs and arms.

Witnesses told police that the motorcyclist was doing a wheelie as he left a set of traffic lights on Bury New Road at Whitefield Metrolink station around 6.45pm.

Jonathan's mountain bike was struck as the front wheel of the motorbike returned to the ground 100 yards away, opposite the entrance to Hamilton Road. The Philips High School pupil had been riding across the road on the way home from his grandmother's house. The rider sped off, leaving witnesses to tend to an unconscious Jonathan on the pavement while paramedics arrived.

Jonathan, who was released from hospital a few hours later said: "I don't remember anything about the accident. The first thing I knew about it was waking up in the ambulance.

"I'm annoyed that someone would have left me there without knowing what state I was in. I wasn't too badly hurt but how were they to know that."

Jonathan's mother, Christine, said: "I can't understand how someone could have been doing a wheelie on a main road at that time of night, injure someone and then just zoom away. My son might have been dead.

"It's unbelievable that a human being could do it, you wouldn't leave an animal like that.

"I've no idea who actually helped Jonathan, but obviously someone did and we are really very grateful."

The helmeted motorcyclist was wearing shorts and a T-shirt and carrying a black rucksack. The bike carried a W-registration plate.

Anyone with information should contact police on 856 8221.