A YORK cycle campaigner is backing a national charity's call for action to halt the "epidemic" of hit-and-run accidents in Britain.

Anna Semlyen is highlighting National Road Victim Month to get the message across that road deaths and injuries shatter lives.

RoadPeace, the national charity for road traffic victims, is pressing for further legislation to clamp down on what it calls "a particularly reprehensible offence".

In York, schoolgirl Katie Scales was a victim of a hit-and-run crime last December.

Meanwhile, police believe that Andrew Hickox, who died after suffering a severe head injury in the city centre last month, was also the victim of a car that failed to stop.

Ms Semlyen, who was herself seriously injured in a collision while on her bike in 1992, said the work of the charity was vitally important in helping people recover from the physical, and emotional, scars of being involved in a road smash.

She said: "This is a very sudden injury and no one is ever prepared for it - either the victim or their families. Over 300 people are injured on the roads every day and the work that RoadPeace does is very important.

"I had to have three operations on my leg as a result of my accident.

"I was cycling along an interchange when it happened. I had several broken teeth as well."

RoadPeace is holding a series of events to highlight the plight of road crash victims throughout the rest of this month.

These include a number of demonstrations outside the Houses of Parliament, and a flower-laying ceremony at the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial in Liverpool.

Ms Semlyen, who has written a number of books on the issues of traffic reduction, said she felt there were still too many cars in York.

"This is not just because of road deaths," she said.

"In York, one of the biggest problems is road pollution. There are enormous implications."

Updated: 09:48 Saturday, August 16, 2003