They saved my life':

Lucky: Cyclist Claire Pepper who says he life was saved by a group of people who lifted a car from on top of her after a collision

An injured cyclist today hailed a group of passers-by as her 'heroes' after they lifted a car off her, claiming they saved her life.

Claire Pepper, 27, escaped with a broken collarbone, as well as cuts and bruises, when she was trapped under the car following a collision in Spitalfields, east London, on Monday night.

Up to 10 passers-by physically heaved the VW car off her so paramedics could treat her.

And fashion photographer Ms Pepper believes if it were not for the helmet she was wearing, which she bought just two days before, she could have died.

Speaking from her hospital bed Miss Pepper, who has no recollection of the crash, said: 'I still can’t figure out how it happened.

'I left work and had been cycling for about 10 minutes. I remember being on my bike on Kingsland Road and the next thing I remember was waking up in hospital at 2am.

'Undoubtedly the people that lifted the car off me saved my life so I could get help quicker. They are my heroes.'

Miss Pepper, who has done fashion shoots for Elle and Topshop, may now have to undergo surgery.

But she said: 'It could have been a lot worse.

'I’m really lucky to be alive. If anything comes out of this story I want to urge people to wear helmets as they can save lives.

'If I hadn’t had one on I probably would have had a really serious head injury and maybe wouldn’t even be here now.'

 

The photographer, who lives with her boyfriend Jonathan Gales, 27, in Brockley, south east London, now wants to personally thank the people who helped her.

The car, which a group of ten passers-by pushed onto its side to help Ms Pepper (right). She believes if it were not for the helmet she was wearing, which she bought just two days before, she could have died

She is now recovering in Whitechapel Hospital, but added: 'Obviously I can’t do it right now, but as soon as I’m out I’d like to get in touch with them.

'Without them, who knows what could have happened?'

Ten cyclists have been killed on London’s roads this year.

A cyclist was rushed to hospital after being struck by a bus on a Cycle Super Highway in London this morning.

Police say a 46-year-old man was in collision with a double decker bus as he rode along Cycle Superhighway 7 in Kennington, south London, shortly before 9am.

Claire Pepper tweeted about her accident, warning others to wear a helmet

Shehryar Taj and Ahmed Yusuf, two of the bystanders that helped lift the car

Paramedics rushed to the junction of Kennington Park Road and Kennington Road where the injured cyclist was treated for hand and knee injuries before being taken to a south London hospital.

He was said to be in a 'serious, but stable' condition. A helicopter ambulance was also scrambled to the scene.

It is the second serious accident on one of the Mayor’s Cycle Super Highways in a week.

Last Tuesday hospital porter Brian Holt, 62, died after he was dragged under the wheels of a tipper lorry on Mile End Road as he travelled down the CS2.