A FRACTURED skull, a broken eye socket and a smashed nose.

They are injuries common in fights and car crashes – but Eileen Webb sustained them by simply walking out on to the pavement.

As she stood outside her home in Fareham preparing to cross the road, a cyclist mowed down the 72-year-old, knocking her unconscious for two days.

When she woke up in hospital, she had to come to terms with injuries that she is still recovering from.

Eileen, of Gosport Road, said: “I cannot remember anything apart from trying to cross the road and being hit on my lefthand side while I was on the pavement.

“When I regained consciousness, I was dumbfounded.

“It took a while to sink in, but then I felt angry.

“I could have died with such a clout to the head.”

Still waiting for an operation to correct the damage to her nose, Eileen says it also took a long time to recover from the profound psychological aftereffects of the collision.

She said: “I could not do basic tasks around the home, and I did not go out of the house because I was very depressed.

“I had dark thoughts, believing it was a pity the collision had not finished me off completely.

“Having your family around you and finding things to laugh at with a good sense of humour pulled me through.”

Almost a year after the incident, Eileen is now backing a campaign to warn cyclists of the risks of riding on the pavement.

The 18-year-old man from Gosport who was on the bike that crashed into Eileen received a caution from the police for careless cycling, as per the wishes of Eileen’s family.

But Eileen is determined to raise awareness of the damage that reckless cycling can do.

She said: “It’s stupid behaviour not to be looking out and aware of others on the pavement.

“Some of the cyclists I see are listening to music on headphones or talking on a mobile phone.

“They need to slow down at corners and give pedestrians a wide berth.

“If my collision had involved a young child like my granddaughter, she could be out there on the pavement now, lying dead or with brain damage.”

Fareham Police Community Support Officer Ann Adams is spearheading the campaign.

She said: “Hampshire Constabulary is most grateful for the support of Eileen, who has survived a distressing ordeal.

“I hope her candid and emotive account of what happened will leave a lasting impression in the minds of cyclists.”