A MAN who tried to help an elderly couple whose car had hit a deer was himself knocked down - and then run over.

Gary Jones and work colleague Sam Childs were trying to prevent an accident by moving the animal during the evening rush hour on the A352 at Whitcombe, near Dorchester.

But then Mr Childs watched in horror as Mr Jones was hit as he crossed the road and thrown about 20 metres, landing on the opposite verge. Seconds later another car ran over his leg as he lay injured.

Police say the second vehicle did not stop and the driver may not have known what happened.

Marketing manager Mr Jones, 34, of Chapelhay, Weymouth, suffered a badly broken leg, fractures to his ribs, cheek, pelvis and wrist, and facial injuries. He was initially treated at Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester, but has since been transferred to Salisbury District Hospital to have a skin graft on his leg.

Doctors say he is facing a lengthy recovery period.

Mr Childs, 26, also of Weymouth, works with Mr Jones at Veloce Publishing in Dorchester.

They were driving home with colleagues Alec Grant, 33, and Si Carruthers, 25, when they stopped to help an elderly couple in a Vauxhall Corsa who had hit a deer.

Mr Childs said: "The deer was a big one and all the traffic in the left-hand lane going up the hill was braking and swerving to avoid it.

"Gary and I decided to clear it out of the road to prevent an accident."

He said Mr Jones put the deer in a ditch while he moved a tyre. As Mr Jones crossed back over he was hit by a Rover 416 and thrown into the air.

The car skidded to a halt and Mr Childs said: "Gary was thrown on to the opposite verge. He was lying in the grass with his leg jutting into the road.

"A car then came the opposite way and went over his leg. It didn't slow or stop. I don't think the driver knew anything was amiss.

"We tried to calm Gary down - he couldn't move and didn't know where he was or what had happened."

An off-duty police officer, believed to be a chief inspector, and a paramedic who happened to be in the area arrived soon after and began treating Mr Jones.

Mr Childs said: "I was completely shocked. Gary is one of my best friends. Watching him get hurt like that was one of the worst things I've ever seen.

"But I'm just glad he's going to pull through."

Mr Grant said: "The police and ambulance teams did a brilliant job. It was very reassuring to see Gary being looked after so well.

"The irony of it all is that Gary was trying to make the road safe for other motorists."

Mr Childs said he was concerned that no other drivers stopped to help.

He said: "I've always been taught that if you see a major obstacle in the road, particularly on something like a dark hill, you stick your hazards on, remove the danger and carry on.

"Everyone else seems to think that speeding round it and leaving it as the next person's problem is the way forward, which is why we ended up in the kind of situation where someone got hurt. I'm really angry about that."

Police closed the road following the incident, which happened at about 5.30pm on Tuesday.

The second vehicle that hit Mr Jones did not stop and police are urging the driver to come forward.

A Dorset Police spokesman said: "The driver may not have even been aware that they had actually run over somebody's leg as it was dark."

Contact police on 01305 222222.