A “HAPPY and friendly” woman remains critically ill after being hit by a car last night (August 19).

The 68-year-old was said to have been crossing the road near The Swan pub, High Street, West Wickham, when the accident happened at around 9.45pm.

She was taken by ambulance to a south London hospital where her condition is described as being critical but stable.

The driver of the car stopped at the scene and has not been arrested.

Police had the road cordoned off for several hours after the incident and officers were back in the High Street earlier today visiting businesses to ask them for their CCTV footage.

Max Chaudry, from Maxy Supermarket, just a few doors down from the pub, says the accident victim had been one of his customers for three years.

He said: “Her son said she is critically ill.

“She is always happy and friendly, she is a good lady.”

Elizabeth Fisher first became aware of the accident last night when she saw lots of flashing lights from the window of her flat in the High Street.

When the 55-year-old went down to the scene she says she saw the victim before she was taken to hospital in an ambulance.

The mother-of-two said: “It is not an unusual occurrence because there is an incident here every four to six months.

“There are so many but you do not get used to it and it still comes as a shock.

“I feel for the driver of the vehicle as well because they will be quite traumatised, I doubt very much if it is something they will get over easily.”

Ms Fisher says the people who had been drinking in the pub garden were all questioned by police about what they had seen.

She added: “There was the victim on the road and there were a lot of witnesses with the police.

“From what I could see people weren’t allowed to leave the pub garden.

“There were a lot of witnesses in the pub garden and area was cordoned off for several hours.

“When I went to bed at about 11.30pm there was a forensic team in the road.”

Pizza Express kitchen manager Ratnatheepan Mathanadas says a customer told him there had been an accident near to the restaurant.

Mr Mathanadas said: “He said an old Asian lady was hit by a black Toyota.

“They did first aid on her and the police came and closed the road.

“It was closed until at least 12.30am this morning.”

Anyone with information or who witnessed the incident is asked to call the Met Police’s collision investigation unit on 020 8285 1574.