A 53-YEAR-OLD pedestrian was today seriously ill in hospital after being involved in a collision with a minibus.

Police were today appealing for a taxi driver who may have witnessed the accident to contact them.

Robert Swindlehurst, of Chester Close, Blackburn, suffered serious head, chest and leg injuries in the accident at Copy Nook between Gate Street and Lambeth Street on Saturday.

Mr Swindlehurst, who was today in Blackburn Infirmary's intensive care unit, was described as stable but poorly.

Police said the minibus was driving in the general direction of Blackburn town centre when it moved out to pass a stationary taxi or private hire vehicle in the near side of the carriageway.

Inspector Stuart Cope, Lancashire police force incident manager, said: "As it did so it appears that Mr Swindlehurst crossed the carriageway from the driver's offside as if to approach the taxi or private hire vehicle.

"Unfortunately a collision occurred and he struck the bonnet and was thrown onto the road surface."

It is believed Mr Swindlehurst may have asked the driver of the taxi to wait while he went across the road to the cash machine around 9.35pm and that he was returning to the vehicle. The taxi drove away before police arrived.

Inspector Cope said: "It appears, for reasons best known to himself, that the taxi driver has not remained at the scene.

"We want to reassure him that he is not wanted for any offences but we do want to speak to him very importantly as a witness."

Inspector Cope also asked for any other witnesses to the accident to contact police on 01254 382141.

The Ford Transit minibus driver, Mehrban Rehman, 21, of Higher Antley Street in Accrington, was not injured in the incident.