A FURIOUS councillor was left bruised, battered and jobless when a hit and run driver knocked him off his scooter in a bus lane on Weymouth seafront.

Councillor Graham Winter, 61, was on his way to former mayor Doug Hollings’s funeral when a car pulled out in front of him between the Pier Bandstand and the Jubilee Clock that he collided with it, and broke his collar bone and thumb.

He jumped to his feet to remonstrate with the driver but the car kept going as Mr Winter realised he was injured and had to sit down.

He said: “I was driving along the Esplanade on the bus lane as you are allowed on a motorbike.

“I was happily going along at about 20 miles per hour towards the clock.

“The traffic was stop-start to the right of me when what I believe was a maroon Volvo estate pulled right in front of me.

“I couldn’t do anything and went straight into him, but he drove on.

“I got up and yelled but then thought ‘hang on, I’ve hurt myself’. I was really angry, then the shock set in.”

Passers-by helped him to the side of the road before he was taken by ambulance to Dorset County Hospital.

Coun Winter, of Samphire Close, has had to delay starting a new delivery job on his 125CC Vespa scooter and fears the injuries could prevent him from working for more than a month.

“What annoys me is that the driver did not stop.

“I know Volvos are built like tanks but the driver must’ve known something happened.

“If you clip something you know about it. I could have bashed my head, broken my spine and done all sorts of damage.”

Coun Winter was saddened that he had to miss the funeral while he was in hospital.

He wanted to thank the people that helped him but said he could not describe who they were because of the shock.

Staff at Orange Cup Coffee nearby provided a drink of water after a group of young people crossed the Esplanade to help.

Coun Winter appealed for drivers to be more aware of motorcyclists and wants anybody who saw the collision or knows who was involved to contact the police.

A Dorset Police spokesman said drivers should be reminded that they should report any collisions that result in suspected injuries to police.

He said: “The driver is believed to have failed to stop and the scooter rider was injured.

“We would appeal to anyone who witnessed the collision to contact us as soon as possible on 01305 222222.”