RESIDENTS and workers have spoken about the moment an Audi R8 mounted a pavement and hit a pedestrian.

A man remains in a serious condition with life-changing injuries at the Royal London Hospital after being airlifted there following the incident on Sunday afternoon.

The 29-year-old pedestrian had been hit by the white sportscar in South Street, Braintree.

Two people, a 35-year-old man from Braintree and a 35-year-old man from Halstead, were arrested.

Both of the men have since been released under investigation and enquiries are continuing.

Yasmin Leigh, who lives in South Street, said: “We heard an engine and then suddenly there was a loud bang.

“We came outside to see what had happened and the car had a large crack in the windscreen where obviously the poor man had hit his head and the wing mirror and bumper had both come off.

“A man was laying in the driveway two doors down and he looked like he was in a very bad way.

“We asked if anyone had called an ambulance and then I came back inside to look after my little one.

“The police were here for a long time afterwards and the road only re-opened at about 11.30pm.”

One worker was nearing the end of his shift at the Kwik Fit garage opposite the scene of the crash when the incident happened.

He said: “It was just me and my boss here when we heard the crash so we came outside.

“We saw the car and a man on the floor so we started to direct the traffic away from the area to give the man some room and so the ambulance could get through.”

Officers are appealing for witnesses to come forward after the incident which happened at around 3.30pm on Sunday.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “Officers investigating are appealing for anyone who may have seen the vehicle being driven in the area of the collision site just prior to it happening to contact them.

“The investigation team are part of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit who can be contacted by calling 101 or emailing collisionappeal@essex.pnn.police.uk.”

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said: “We were called on Sunday, April 8 at 3.29pm to reports of a road traffic incident on South Street in Braintree.

“We sent an ambulance crew, two rapid response vehicles and the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance to the scene.

“We treated one patient at the scene, believed to be a man, suffering from head injuries.”

The Essex and Herts Air Ambulance airlifted the patient to The Royal London Hospital for further treatment.