AN elderly pedestrian suffered a fractured femur and fractured pelvis during a car accident in Gorleston which also left a 23-year-old woman facing the possibility of losing her left leg.

AN elderly pedestrian suffered a fractured femur and fractured pelvis during a car accident in Gorleston which also left a 23-year-old woman facing the possibility of losing her left leg.

The older woman was walking along Lowestoft Road with an elderly man when she was struck by a silver Ford Focus at midday yesterday and was taken to James Paget University Hospital for treatment.

Her companion suffered cuts and bruises, while the younger female victim, who is believed to be from Bradwell, was initially taken to the same hospital, but later transferred by the East Anglia Air Ambulance to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.

Adrienne Watts, spokeswoman for the ambulance service, said: “There was some concern about the injury to this patient's leg. It was a very serious leg injury. They feared she might possibly have to lose it.”

Shocked eyewitnesses reported seeing the car trying to take a left turn into the car park at Gorleston Baptist Church as it headed towards the town centre.

But it shot past the turning, mounted the pavement and collided with the pedestrians before coming to a rest against the wall of the Bangla Nites Indian restaurant.

A passer-by who helped the younger injured woman said the car had collided with her shortly after she had walked past the entrance to the church car park and it had broken her left leg so badly he could see through to the other side.

He said: “The girl grabbed my hand and was crying. I said 'I can't do anything about it sweetheart.' She was in shock and a lot of pain. There was a massive chunk missing from her lower leg. I cannot see any way they can save it.”

A female passer-by said the elderly couple disappeared underneath the car with the man sprawled in the middle of the road, while the woman was lying in an alleyway next to Bangla Nites.

She gave the elderly woman first aid and said she was drifting in and out of consciousness although she was responding to her questions.

Police breathalysed the elderly driver of the Ford Focus, who was believed to be in his 80s, but the readings were negative and he was questioned in the church.