London Fields: Man rushed to hospital after being struck by council van while sunbathing

Hannah Al-Othman24 July 2016

A man has been rushed to hospital after he was struck by a council van while sunbathing in an east London park.

The man, believed to be in his 30s, was rushed to hospital with a head injury after he was struck by a van in the barbecue area of London Fields.

The incident happened just after 10.30 this morning at the Lansdowne Drive side of the Hackney park.

London Fields is a popular spot for sun-worshippers as it is one of the few public green spaces in London that allows visitors to hold barbecues.

London's air ambulance was scrambled and landed in the park, while police and ambulances rushed to the scene.

Head injury: the man was taken to hospital as a priority
Francesco Fiori

A London Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “We were called to reports of a road traffic collision on Landsdowne Drive at 10.35am.

“We sent multiple resources including air ambulance, an ambulance and a fast response car, and arrived on the scene in under four minutes.

“We took a patient with head injuries to hospital as a priority."

Emergency: London's air ambulance landed at the scene
@janann24

A Met Police spokeswoman said: "Police were called by the London Ambulance Service at 10.38am, to reports of an injured man in London Fields, close to Lansdowne Drive, E8.

"Officers attended the scene and found a man in his 30s with a head injury. He was taken to an east London hospital where we await an update as to his condition.

"At this early stage officers believe that the male was run over by a vehicle as he lay on the ground in the park. Officers are not treating the incident as suspicious."

A council spokesman said the park ranger was driving one of the council's smaller vehicles, and is believed to have been picking up rubbish when the incident happened.

A police cordon has been put in place around the area, while the barbecue area of the park, which is run by Hackney Council, has been closed indefinitely following the incident.

The local authority tweeted, saying: "Hackney Council London Fields BBQ area is currently closed due to an accident. Not yet known when it will reopen."

A Hackney Council spokesman said: “There was an accident this morning in the barbecue area of London Fields involving one of our parks vehicles and a member of the public.

"They have been taken to hospital for treatment, and our thoughts are with them and their family.

“This is obviously a serious incident and both the police and ourselves are investigating. The barbecue area will be closed until further notice.”

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