A TEENAGER was rushed to hospital suffering serious head injuries yesterday evening after being hit by a car transporter on a busy Southampton dual carriageway.

The youth, thought to be male, was hit as he crossed Kingsway at a pedestrian crossing near the Royal Oak pub just after 4.30pm.

Onlookers saw smoke coming from the tyres of the car transporter as it skidded in an attempt to stop.

It came to a halt around 15 metres past the crossing, and there were skidmarks for 20 metres behind the vehicle.

The right hand side of the front of the cab was dented from the impact.

One eyewitness said: "I was in my van halfway along the road so I didn't get a close view of what happened, but I did see what I think was a man start to cross the road.

"Then I heard the screech of tyres as the car transporter tried to stop - there was smoke billowing from the rear tyres.

"The person was sent flying and landed in a crumpled heap further down the road.

"They just didn't get up.

"It was horrific."

Busy rush hour traffic ground to a halt as police cars closed the northbound dual carriageway of Kingsway, as well as several roads in the surrounding area including Charlotte Place.

The teenager was rushed to Southampton General Hospital in an ambulance under fast police escort suffering what police described as "very serious head injuries."

Meanwhile, scenes of crime officers inspected the vehicle for dents and scratches.