THE boyfriend of a 17-year-old student who suffered serious head injuries after being the victim of a hit and run accident, has told how she is lucky to be alive.

Siam McEwan was knocked to the ground after the back door of a council-owned van flung open and hit her as she was walking along High Road, Pitsea.

The A-level student, who recently moved from Rydene, in Vange, to Hampden Road, in Grays, was left with a fractured skull, fractured shoulder blade and rendered deaf in one ear, following the incident.

She is now making a steady recovery in Basildon Hospital’s high dependency unit.

Michael Hoskyn, 16, who was with her at the time of the incident, said: “It was horrific. She was covered in blood.

“We were just walking along the road laughing and joking, then I heard the van coming and some sort of instinct made me pull her closer to me. Then she was hit by the door.

“The paramedics told me afterwards if I hadn’t pulled her closer to me, she could have been killed outright.”

An investigation is now under way into how the back door of the van, which had been leased by Basildon Council to grass cutting company English Landscapes, came open.

The driver of the van failed to stop at the scene, but was questioned by police later the same day.

Michael added: “At first, I tried to chase after him on a bike, but then I realised Siam was in a really bad way and I had to help her.”

Police are investigating the incident on Monday.

Anyone who saw what happened is asked to contact police on 0300 3334444.