A CYCLIST was taken to hospital with suspected head injuries after he was knocked off his bike by an NHS ambulance this afternoon.

Police and ambulance crews were called to the scene at High Northgate’s junction with John Street in Darlington at 2.54pm to deal with the incident.

An eyewitness, who was waiting at the lights in his van, said: “I was waiting at the traffic lights as it was red, then the cyclist must have come round the back of the van.

“The next thing I heard was a bang and a man was lying wedged between my van and the ambulance next to me.”

Another eyewitness said the cyclist was male, looked like he was his forties, and was wearing a hat and hood.

A passer-by said: “When I got here I saw four lads pulling the guy out from under the ambulance.”

Traffic on North Road and the surrounding roads was delayed for an hour after the incident.

Read The Northern Echo tomorrow for a full account of events.