Stevenage car cruise crash: Injured man 'lucky to be alive'

A bystander who still cannot walk three weeks after he was run over at a car cruise event says he feels lucky to be alive.

Rhys Hunt, 20, was one of 18 people injured at the charity gathering in Stevenage last month.

The manual labourer from Hatfield spent 18 days in hospital, but says what happened "doesn't make me feel angry".

Mr Hunt was one of four people who were badly hurt, although all the casualties have now been released from hospital.

'Back-flipped'

He was standing in the central reservation area of Monkswood Way with his girlfriend and a friend during the event on 18 July.

Rhys Hunt was in hospital for more than two weeks and underwent surgery for his injuries

Rhys Hunt is currently sleeping on the sofa at his girlfriend's house in Welwyn Garden City because it is closer to where he is receiving treatment

Video footage shows two cars colliding at a junction and then one striking people standing at the roadside, while the other hits spectators in the central reservation.

Mr Hunt's girlfriend, Maya Atkins, 17, said she had seen the footage of all three of them getting "back-flipped and landing on the floor", but as she was hit by the side of the car rather than the front she sustained relatively minor injuries.

Mr Hunt said he went blank for a while and that "it was a horrible sight when I came around".

"Everyone who was involved in the crash is lucky to be alive - it could have been a lot worse," he added.

Mr Hunt now has metal rods in his leg and arm and a brace around his knee, leaving him unable to get around without a wheelchair.

Police, fire and ambulance services all attended the crash

Police said the investigation was continuing, with "multiple witness statements still being taken", and that both drivers of the cars that collided have been "interviewed as part of the ongoing investigation".

Organiser Rix Sidhu has said he had been holding similar meets for 17 years but will not be organising any more.