Leisure centre staff have been praised after they rushed to the aid of a teenager who fell off a moped and suffered head injuries.

The accident happened in the car park of Clacton Leisure Centre at about 7.30pm on Tuesday.

Pc Kevin Carter, of Stanway road policing unit, said : "About 7.25pm on Tuesday night, an accident occurred within the car park of Clacton Leisure Centre, involving a 49cc moped, ridden by a 16-year-old from the Clacton area.

"It would appear at the time the vehicle was carrying a pillion passenger who fell from the vehicle and struck his head on the road surface causing serious head injury."

Mike Page, spokesman for Tendring Council, said a member of the public first raised the alarm to members of staff at the leisure centre.

"Our staff were very quick off the mark. They responded in the same way that they would in any situation. They went out and checked the boy out and administered some first aid."

A spokeswoman for Colchester General Hospital said the injured teenager was in a comfortable and stable condition yesterday afternoon

Published Thursday January 29, 2004

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