CALLS have been made for a 20mph speed limit on a narrow Hampshire lane after an elderly man was left fighting for his life following a hit-and-run.

The 87-year-old suffered serious injuries when he was hit by a vehicle while walking his dog along Cowpitts Lane in Ringwood on Sunday evening.

Neighbours described how they rushed to help the pensioner as he lay on the ground in agony, after the "gutless" driver left the scene without stopping.

One resident said: "He was in a bad way, he was conscious but he was bleeding profusely.

"He said he heard a fast car coming down the lane and he turned and it hit him and it must have hit his shoulder - his shoulder looked really bad.

"He didn't want us to touch him because he was in so much pain but we put some blankets on him.

"This road is like Silverstone, it is a cut through and we are always hearing screeching brakes.

"If people keep driving too fast down here eventually there will be a fatal accident."

The elderly man was rushed to Southampton General Hospital by ambulance with critical head and arm injuries.

Debbie Brown, 56, owns a bed and breakfast in the road. She said: "About three or four times a week we will get somebody coming down the road too fast.

"People use it as a through road because they can get out to the A31 from here."

Jules Spencer, 81, walks her Jack Russell on the road everyday and said: "The cars go a bit fast up here and because the road encroaches on the path which is not maintained it gets narrower and narrower.

Mrs Spencer, retired from Stillwater Park, Ringwood, added: "I do feel a bit vulnerable sometimes because of the curving roads and the traffic goes very fast.

"If you cannot hear or see very well you are vulnerable on this road."

One resident, who lived in the cottage opposite where the incident happened, said it was only a matter of time before a serious crash happened.

“In this case the man was thankfully found quickly but it doesn’t change the fact that cars speed along the lane,” he said.

“The council recently filled in the potholes along the road but unfortunately that means the cars now drive along it much faster.”

Mr Anderson, who lives in Old Farm Close off Cowpitts Lane, added: “It’s bad enough that the man has been injured but to find out that it was a hit-and-run makes it even worse.

“It’s terrible that the person didn’t have the guts to stop and call an ambulance.”

Mr Anderson added: “It’s a narrow lane and unfortunately lots of users abuse it when they should know better,” he said.

“The road is very dark and it has blind spots and hidden dips which can become really dangerous, especially when people are driving along it at speed.

“Really the speed limit should be reduced to 20mph because if a motorist is driving any faster then they haven’t got a hope in hell of stopping for another car or a pedestrian.”

Margaret Maidment, 69, who walks her friend’s dachshund Bertie along Cowpitts Lane, said: “Sometimes I’m quite surprised that I survive the walk because some motorists take this lane at such a speed.. I wouldn’t walk along the road when it gets dark." said: “I’m not a bit surprised something like this has happened but it’s awful that this man was just left by the side of the road.

Roads policing Sergeant Nigel Burt urged the driver to come forward and hand himself in, adding it was fortunate that the victim was found so quickly.

said: “We are appealing for the driver to come forward so we can find out exactly what happened. It was extremely fortunate for the elderly gentleman that he was found so quickly after afterwards.

“Failing to stop after a road accident of this nature is a very serious matter and we are keen to speak to the driver of the vehicle as soon as possible.”

Police have also confirmed the man’s dog was not injured in the crash.

Anyone with information about the incident which happened around 5pm is asked to contact the Totton Roads Policing Unit by calling 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.