Teen sustains serious injuries following hit-and-run collision in Birmingham

West Midlands Police are appealing for information after a teenager sustained serious head injuries following a hit-and-run collision in Birmingham.

Harvey Aitken was cycling along Wharfdale Road, Tyseley, when he was struck by a car at around 11.35pm on July 9. The 16-year-old spent three weeks in hospital with a bleed on the brain. Since the collision he has struggled with a speech impediment and memory loss.

West Midlands Police said: “We’re trying to identify vehicle one which we believe is involved and pulled up shortly afterwards. At this point vehicle two stops and appears to flash the driver of vehicle one. Both then drove off.

“We’d urge the driver of vehicle one to do the right thing and come forward to explain exactly what happened. We’d also ask the driver of vehicle two to contact us as they may have vital information which can help us trace the car and who was behind the wheel.”

Harvey’s father, Andrew Aitken, said: “Harvey has suffered a severe brain trauma as a result of this hit-and-run and we have been told it will take up to two years for him to fully recover. When I received the phone call at 3am that morning my heart sank, it is every parents’ worst nightmare.

“The whole family has been impacted by this incident, including Harvey’s five siblings who were distressed to hear what had happened to their brother.“We as his parents feared for his life and it has been such a battle for the family unit as a whole.

“I am appealing to anyone who saw or heard anything that night to please contact the police because the person responsible needs to be brought to justice. They left our 16-year-old son lying in the road for dead. Thankfully Harvey is a strong lad and a survivor but this incident has had a profound impact on his life.”

You can contact the traffic investigation unit via Live Chat on West Midland Police website, or by calling 101, and quote log 4494 of 9 July. Road safety is a key issue for West Midlands Police. They said: “We know that by working together with local communities and partners we can make significant progress in creating safer roads.”