THE family of a grandfather who suffered a severe head injury when he fell in a busy town centre have appealed for a group of young boys riding bikes at the time of incident to come forward.

Brian Coates, 74, remains in intensive care with a bleed on the brain five days after he hit his head on the pavement after falling in Darlington town centre.

Witnesses have reported that at least three boys on bikes were riding close to Mr Coates just before he fell but it is unclear whether one of them knocked him over or simply startled him, causing him to lose his bearings.

The businessman was walking along Skinnergate on Friday, September 5, at about 1.45pm and was crossing the junction with Post House Wynd when he fell.

He was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital where the severity of his injury was discovered and he was rushed to the specialist head injury trauma centre in James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough.

His daughter, Claire Hodgson, has appealed for the boys to come forward to help her family understand what happened to Mr Coates.

She said: “We’re not trying to cast blame but none of us were with him so we don’t know what happened.

“The police have spoken to a number of witnesses who all say there were some boys on bikes.

“The main witness said there were three young lads coming out of Post House Wynd but no-one is clear whether one has hit him or has just been so close that it has startled him.

“He may be 74 but he is very fit and active and not frail or unsteady on his feet.

“For us as a family it’s about finding out what exactly happened. We’d just like those boys to get in touch.”

Mrs Hodgson said she was confused to get a call saying her father had been knocked over in Skinnergate, a pedestrianised area, adding: “I thought ‘how has that happened?’

“Maybe that’s something that has to be looked at – should people be allowed on bikes in a pedestrian area?”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Darlington police on 101, quoting reference number DHM-05092014-0222.