Boy, 10, left with 'nose hanging off' after being hit by e-bike

A 10 year old boy was left with his "nose hanging off" after an e-bike rider collided with him on the pavement, according to his distraught mother. Carter Ralph was playing outside his home in Loughborough, Leicestershire, on a children's scooter when he was struck in a hit-and-run incident on October 30. His mother, Nadine Ralph, aged 39, recounted that a "tall man" on what appeared to be a Barracuda e-bike was speeding towards her son, reports the Mirror .

Nadine, who was at home during the incident, said she rushed outside when she heard Carter scream and was met with a shocking sight: "blood everywhere, all over Carter's face and on the ground." She described the aftermath as "horrendous" saying, "At first I thought he didn't have an eyeball, his eyelid was completely covering his one eye. His nose was hanging off.



" In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, she detailed the extent of Carter's injuries: "He looked like he had been badly beaten up, he was so battered and bruised. His chest also had a large yellow and blue bruise where I think the bike handlebars had hit him, flipping the cyclist off." Eyewitnesses reported that the rider fled the scene immediately after the accident, leaving young Carter gravely injured.

The boy was taken to hospital and has since undergone two surgeries. Nadine revealed that due to the severity of the injuries, Carter needed extensive stitching to his nose, mouth, and an eyelid. Nadine has now lashed out at the e-bike driver for fleeing the scene, labelling his actions as "unbelievable behaviour" and stating: "The fact the cyclist didn't stop to check on my child or pick him up off the ground and seek help shows that man has no heart.

" She suspects the e-bike may have been modified to exceed the 15.5mph speed limit with limited pedal assistance. The incident has left her son Carter "petrified" of playing outside for fear of being hit again.

She noted that although doctors are pleased with Carter's recovery nearly two weeks on, they anticipate it will be a few months before his injured eye is fully healed. Leicestershire Police released a statement saying: "The person riding the bike left the scene following the incident. Enquiries are continuing to establish the full circumstances of the incident including the type of bike which was being ridden.

Our investigation remains ongoing including speaking with the boy and his family, house to house enquiries and analysing CCTV." In a related event last July in Swansea, a nine year old boy suffered "serious" injuries after an electric bike rider crashed into him and "failed to stop" resulting in the need for surgery, South Wales Police reported. E-bikes have seen a surge in popularity for commuting, leisure and exercise.

However, their legality, particularly on public roads and paths, has been questioned. In the UK, e-bikes are restricted to a maximum power output of 250 watts, and the motor must cease operation once the bike hits 15.5mph.

This means they can assist the rider but cannot be operated solely on electric power. While the motor is required to stop at 15.5mph, cyclists can exceed this speed if they continue pedalling.

E-bikes capable of exceeding 15.5mph without rider assistance are classified as mopeds and require registration and tax..