Astonished drivers found themselves caught up as witnesses in a life-or-death situation after the woman was critically injured when hit by a lorry while attempting to cross four lanes of one of the city's busiest roads.

The helicopter flew in low over a growing traffic jam on the Frank Perkins Parkway at rush hour last night, while officers on the ground stopped westbound traffic into the city to allow it to land on the road close to the crash scene at Parnwell.

The helicopter was carrying a Magpas doctor, who treat the badly injured woman at the scene.

Today, the woman, who is believed to be in her 20s, is being treated for "critical" multiple head, chest and pelvic injuries remains in a specialist unit at Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge.

The horrific incident happened shortly after 5.30pm when the female pedestrian, believed to have been walking along the westbound carriage way of the A1139 Frank Perkins Parkway, was hit by a Tesco lorry.

Emergency services raced to the scene, and the road was closed westbound between the Eye roundabout and the Sainbury's slip road at Parnwell, causing peak-hour traffic chaos.

The first ambulance at the scene requested urgent Magpas assistance from a medical crash specialist and Dr Rod Mackenzie was flown in on the police air operations helicopter along with paramedic Rob Elias.

Traffic was then brought to a standstill both ways to allow the helicopter, carrying the two medics, to land just metres from the scene and just yards from parked cars on the Eye-bound carriageway.

The woman was anaesthetised and stabilised at the scene and then flown direct to Addenbrooke's Hospital.

The driver of the Mercedes Axor 1840 lorry, a 47-year-old man, from Lincolnshire, was not injured.

The eastbound carriageway was re-opened again at about 6.45pm, but was closed westbound for forensic investigation until about 9pm.

An investigation into the accident is now underway as to why the young woman was on the road and not using the underpass from Parnwell to Welland that runs underneath that section of road.

Police are appealing for passing motorists or other pedestrians to come forward with any information which may help with inquiries.

Crowds of people soon gathered along the parkway, with motorists and local residents taking pictures of the helicopter, and traffic was seen backing up from the Eye roundabout past Boongate and along Frank Perkins Parkway.

Bill Wright (52), of Whittington, Parnwell said: "I had just got home from work when I heard the helicopter flying around. It was there for about 45 minutes while the paramedics treated the woman and put her into the helicopter.

"There have been a few accidents along the parkway in recent years, it is a very busy and dangerous road."

A 14-year-old boy died on the Frank Perkins Parkway after being hit by a car on April 1, 2005.



UPDATE WEDNESDAY 7.45AM: The woman is thought to be seriously injured in hospital.
Tuesday 6PM: A woman pedestrian has been hit by a lorry in Peterborough.

The accident happend shortly after 5.30pm causing chaos to peak hour traffic.

The pedestrian is believed to have been on the south bound Frank Perkins Parkway between the Eye roundabout and the Sainsbury's slip road at Parnwell when she was hit by the truck.

The woman is believed to have sustained serious injuries.

A police helicopter carrying medics landed on the road near the scene of the accident on the outskirts of Peterborough.

Frank Perkins Parkway is currently closed both ways to allow the helicopter to land and attend to the casualty.

Traffic is currenly backing up from the Eye roundabout past Boongate and along Frank Perkins Parkway.

A motorist who is at the scene said that traffic was jammed as far as the eye could see. "Nothing is moving and people have got out of their cars and some are taking pictures of the helicopter on the parkway.
"It looks like we will be here for a while."

Police have advised drivers to avoid the area if possible.