Driver ignores marshals at Velo 2019 and narrowly misses colliding with riders

Cyclists taking part in Velo 2019 had a narrow escape as a driver ignored race marshals and sped across a roundabout, only just avoiding riders who were passing through.

A video taken by a spectator shows a member of the public holding a baby and trying to put a traffic cone in front of the black Mini Cooper, before a marshal puts their hand on the car's bonnet as he starts accelerating.

This doesn't stop the driver, and as he passes through the roundabout the camera pans to show a large bunch just ahead who could have come a cropper had the incident taken place a few seconds earlier.

The footage, obtained by Birmingham Mail, then shows the driver mount the kerb and drive off down a side road. Thankfully, no one appears to have been injured by the incident.

The driver of the Mini Cooper is believed to be in his 20s or 30s and was apparently wearing tracksuit and a baseball cap, according to onlookers at the scene in Quinton, Birmingham.

The eyewitness who recorded the video, Hannah Mitchell, told the Mail: "The Mini driver pulled up to the cones and then just sat there in his car for a while. He got out and moved all of the cones out of his way.

"People were shouting at him and there were even some people physically standing in front of the Mini trying to stop him driving forward.

"We just didn't know what to do. We couldn't really stop him because we were the other side of the road where the cyclists were coming down so you couldn't just run over. It was really scary.

"My partner went and stood down the road slightly and waved to the riders so that they knew something was going on. I think he caught their attention but the cyclists didn't stop - I don't think they could really see."

More than 17,000 people were taking part in the 100-mile Velo 2019 event, where roads were closed off as riders set off from Birmingham City Centre, through Coventry over the cobbled roads surrounding the cathedral, and out into the countryside surrounding Solihull, Warwickshire, Dudley and Sandwell.

A man in his 50s sadly died during the event, coming off his bike in a downhill section that features a number of tight bends.

The man was taken to hospital but later died. Police are appealing for any potential witnesses to get in touch.