Killed cyclist believed to have hit manhole

The sunken manhole can still be seen after the short-term repair

A manhole cover is understood to be at the centre of an incident which resulted in the death of a cyclist.

An appeal issued by Lancashire Police for witnesses to the incident which happened on Cowling Brow, Chorley, at about 10:30 BST on 14 August described how the man, in his 70s, "struck a hole in the road" and was thrown from the electric bike he was riding.

However, it is believed the defect was not a pothole in the road surface but the metal cover of a fire hydrant which had sunk beneath its surrounding rim.

Tar has now been laid across the danger spot as a temporary safety measure until it can be properly repaired but images show the sunken cover can still be seen at the edge.

The surrounding road surface has also started to crack, but has not itself dipped significantly.

The police appeal was made on Saturday, almost a month after the unnamed man had come off his bike.

He died on 31 August after spending more than two weeks in hospital with serious injuries.

As the highways authority, Lancashire County Council has an overarching responsibility for carriageway safety and carries out routine inspections of the roads within its network on a monthly, quarterly and six-monthly basis, according to the strategic importance of the route.

When it comes to traditional potholes the situation is more clear cut, with County Hall having a series of targets for speed of repair following a report or discovery, depending on the urgency of the problem and the classification of road on which the defect has occurred.

A Lancashire County Council spokesman said: "We are very sorry to hear about this incident and our thoughts are with the family and friends of the gentleman who has died.

"We are looking into the circumstances of what happened and will fully co-operate with the police investigation."

United Utilities has been contacted for comment in relation to the fire hydrant cover.

Police asked anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam, doorbell or CCTV footage to contact the force.