Horrified City workers form a human chain to protect a critically-injured cyclist who was hurt in a rush-hour collision

  • Cyclist in his 40s was knocked off his bike outside Bank of England
  • Witnesses said commuters formed a line to protect him from traffic
  • Accident occurred at notorious junction where woman died last year

City workers formed a human barricade to protect an injured cyclist after he was knocked off his bike at one of London's most dangerous junctions.

The cyclist, who is in his 40s, suffered severe head wounds when he was hit by a car outside the Bank of England in the City of London on Monday evening. 

Witnesses described how commuters stood in the road and formed a line around the cyclist to shield him from rush hour traffic as they waited for paramedics.

Witnesses described how commuters stood in the road and formed a line around the cyclist to shield him from rush hour traffic as they waited for paramedics

Witnesses described how commuters stood in the road and formed a line around the cyclist to shield him from rush hour traffic as they waited for paramedics

One told the Evening Standard: 'I looked around and saw the cyclist flying off his bike out of the corner of my eye. There was this gasp from the crowd then silence.

'People were standing in the road to protect his body from other cars. We were too scared to move him.

'One lady held his hand the whole time and was asking him loads of questions to keep him conscious but he couldn’t respond.'

The driver of the car stopped at the scene and is helping police with their investigation. 

Last year cyclist Ying Tao, 26, was killed after she was crushed by a lorry at the same junction. Cyclists staged a number of protests  at the site to highlight the dangers of the road

Last year cyclist Ying Tao, 26, was killed after she was crushed by a lorry at the same junction. Cyclists staged a number of protests at the site to highlight the dangers of the road

A spokesman for City of London Police said: 'We were called at 18:12hrs on Monday 15 August to reports of a cyclist in collision with a vehicle at Bank Junction. 

'Officers and members of the LAS attended. A male cyclist in his 40s was found with head injuries and he was taken to a central London hospital.' 

Last year cyclist Ying Tao, 26, was killed after she was crushed by a lorry at the same junction. 

Cyclists staged a number of protests in her memory at the site to highlight the dangers of the road.