A FATHER and his two children were catapulted into oncoming traffic after being struck by a car.

Triumph Okojie was cycling with his children, aged five and two, when they were hit in Ipswich Road, Colchester.

Mr Okojie, 31, landed on his head as he was sent crashing down into the road surface at the roundabout adjacent to The Rovers Tye pub.

His wife, Cristiana, 33, said she is grateful her family are still alive, and believes their crash helmets may have saved their lives on Saturday.

The trio had been using an eCargo bike to travel from their home in St John’s Road, Colchester, to Highwoods Tesco, to pick up some ingredients for dinner.

Gazette: Family - Triumph Okojie with his children, aged five and twoFamily - Triumph Okojie with his children, aged five and two (Image: Cristiana Okojie)

Mrs Okojie said: “The whole weight of the bike fell on my husband as he was thrown off of it. They fell with their heads hitting the cement in the road.

“There is lots of light at this roundabout so they saw the car coming directly at them. It was quite shocking.”

Mrs Okojie explained the impact from the incident, which occurred at about 6.30pm, has had on her family.

“The children are now scared and don’t want to go near a bike, my husband is the same. They are quite shocked,” she added.

“I was very scared when I heard what had happened.

“It was a very quick journey just to buy a few ingredients to finish our evening and set-up our Christmas tree but it turned out like this.

Gazette: Roundabout - the Okojie family were travelling on this roundaboutRoundabout - the Okojie family were travelling on this roundabout (Image: Google)

“I am just grateful they’re alive.”

The mother-of-two added she was concerned police did not attend the scene, despite being called.

However, an Essex Police spokesman explained the incident was not attended due to there being no serious injuries or obstruction in the road.

He said the Okojies were advised to fill out an online report.

Mrs Okojie added: “I am grateful to the people from the pub who came to help and to the driver who stopped. She was visibly shaken too.

"We also thank the Colchester ECargo Bike Delivery Project for their help following this incident.

“We are responsible parents and had the proper protective gear on our children which turned out to be a good thing.”