A CALLOUS taxi driver left a man seriously injured in the road after a hit-and-run accident - the second in eight weeks involving a private hire vehicle.

Allen Thompson, aged 20, was left screaming in agony after the accident in Scowcroft Street, Tonge Moor, early yesterday.

The Asian private hire driver briefly stopped after the accident.

He got out of his car and walked up to Mr Thompson whowas on his back in the carriageway. But the driver then returned to his Nissan Bluebird car and raced off.

Allen's angry father Henry said today: "Anything I might say about what I think of someone doing this would be unprintable."

Allen was on his way home from a night out in Astley Bridge. He had gone out to cheer himself up after being laid off from Bolton firm Lorival Plastics last week.

His dad added: "His leg is a right mess. "A man who found him and rang for the ambulance told us Allen was lying in the road in agony saying 'Don't let me die here.' "

In August, 62-year-old Kenneth Bell was left for dead in Blackburn Road after an accident which is also thought to have involved a private hire driver. Mr Bell of Belmont Road, Bolton, died in hospital days later.

Today, police were again visiting taxi firms throughout Bolton in a bid to trace the driver.

Mr Thompson, of Eldon Street, Tonge Moor, suffered a broken leg, head injuries and a broken arm. He had an emergency operation in the Royal Bolton Hospital last night and will have to undergo a second operation later this week. His condition is described as "satisfactory."

Police are seeking witnesses to the accident which happened in Scowcroft Street, near the junction with Tonge Moor Road, at 1.20am yesterday.

Police are urging the driver himself to come forward. They also want to speak to anyone who may have been dropped off by a taxi driver in the Tonge Moor or Tonge Fold. Anyone who can help is asked to ring 0161 872 5050.

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