Police are hunting a driver after one of the country’s top teenage athletes was left seriously hurt as she cycled across the New Forest.

The 14-year-old was badly hurt and taken to Southampton General Hospital after an incident while on a training session with her dad.

It happened as they cycled on Crow Hill, towards Christchurch Road, near Ringwood, when the girl pulled away from her father and crested the hill.

When she was out of sight, her father was aware of a silver vehicle behind him and overtook him.

As her father crested the hill, he found his daughter, who is ranked third for her age in the triathlon, lying in the road.

She was taken to Southampton General Hospital, where she was found to have head injuries, a broken collar bone and multiple cuts.

Sergeant Richard Grant said police need to establish whether the silver vehicle was involved or whether the girl, from Ferndown, came off her cycle during the incident at 5.30pm on Sunday.

He said: “We want to speak to anyone who may have seen the cyclists before the incident or who may have witnessed it.

“In particular, we need to speak to the driver of a silver vehicle which was travelling in the same direction and overtook the cyclists shortly before the girl was found lying in the road, injured.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Sgt Grant at Totton on 101, quoting incident 44120410844.