Baby flung into road in front of horrified mother (From Times Series)

Baby flung into road in front of horrified mother in New Barnet

3:20pm Friday 12th October 2012 in News By Chris Hewett

Marlon Medway (left) and James Bernard ran out to help after the car hit the baby's pram

A baby was flung into the road in front of his horrified mother when a car struck a pram this morning.

The three-month-old boy escaped unhurt after the silver Jaguar hit the pushchair in East Barnet Road, New Barnet, at 9.40am.

Despite being thrown some 20 feet from the crossing, the boy remained strapped in to the buggy.

Eyewitnesses said the elderly driver initially failed to stop and clipped another van before coming to a halt in traffic 50 metres down the road.

It is thought the woman had been attempting to cross the road at a zebra crossing outside the Golden Palace takeaway shop, near Sainsbury’s.

Workers in nearby shops and offices ran out to help after hearing screams from the mother, thought to be in her early 30s.

Marlon Medway, owner of the Bikestrobe, ran out with two of his colleagues seconds after the collision.

The 41-year-old said: “I’ve never heard a scream like it. She was about to cross the road when it seemed the Jaguar slowed down and then sped up and hit the pram. I saw the car drive away.

“Perhaps the driver hit the accelerator instead of the brake but he didn’t stop until further down the road.

“I just went into ‘deal with it’ mode. We ran out straight away and checked the baby was ok before running off after the car. The mum later said we looked like the A-Team.

“Andy (Marlon’s colleague) just grabbed the keys out of the ignition. The guy said he wanted to go down the road and turn around but we told him to get out of the car. I think the guy was a bit shocked – we all were.”

An off duty policewoman was first on the scene, before paramedics and police arrived a short time after.

The mother, who witnesses said was left hysterical, was taken into nearby offices in Sapphire House carrying her baby.

A sales manager at nearby Print Mania, James Bernard, rushed out to help the woman in the immediate aftermath.

The 49-year-old tried to comfort her while they waited for the emergency services to arrive.

He said: “She was totally hysterical. We were all just praying the baby would open its eyes and we were so relieved when it did.

“It was shocking. Some of the other staff were in tears. It is very upsetting to see something like that. Everyone just looked in shock.”

Police officers spoke to witnesses and questioned the man but after a short time he was left to drive away.

Mr Bernard said: “I was surprised. I would have expected them to take him down the station and question him.”

The Times Series has attempted to contact the Metropolitan Police Service but no-one has yet been available for comment.