Cyclist "lucky to be alive" after near death experience during A1 crash between two lorries at Long Bennington
A cyclist says he feels lucky to be alive after a near-miss with a lorry involved in a crash on the A1.
Just before 6am a collision between two lorries led to one lane on the southbound carriageway being closed near the Long Bennington turn-off at Valley Lane.
Lewis Farrow, 18, from Long Bennington, was cycling to work at Rototek in Fernwood on a path that runs alongside that stretch of the A1 when the incident occurred.
Lewis described the terrifying incident, saying: "I heard the bang and looked up to see two headlights coming directly at me.
"That lorry came flying in front of me and missed me by less than a metre.
"It went straight through the hedge, through a field and into the next hedgerow about 50 yards away off of the A1.
"I've never been that close to dying in my life."
"When it happened, it folded me. I got off my bike, my legs went to jelly and I just lay on the floor before calling the police and my mum.
"Every time I see a picture of a lorry now, I just see it coming past my head.
"The police told me I was one lucky lad. They said if I'd have been biking one mile per hour faster, I'd be dead. If I'd have left the house at a different time, I'd be dead. I'm just lucky to be here."
The lorries involved in the collision were registered with foreign number plates. One was Polish and the other was Dutch.
Lewis' mum, Lisa Fox ,was in bed when she received the call from her son to tell her what had happened.
"I just jumped out of bed straight away, my heart was in my mouth" she said.
"I just went in to a state of panic and it's been on my mind all day. He cycles down there every day and it doesn't bear thinking about what could have happened."
The family hope that the incident will raise awareness about the dangers on the stretch of road.
Lewis feels more needs to be done to keep the public safe.
He said: "The path runs all the way down the southbound side of the A1 from Newark to my village. Cyclists use it all the time but now this has happened I want it closed down.
"Just don't bike there, it's not worth it. They need to remove the path, shut it down or put in some barriers
"All it takes is one car to swerve and someone be there. I nearly died, next time someone will."
Lisa agreed, saying: "There have been quite a few accidents along this part of the A1 between Newark and Grantham over the years and the pathway is only about six feet away from the road side.
"Whether it's a car or another lorry, this will happen again."
