A MAN who suffered serious head injuries after being hit by a skip lorry just yards from his home in Calne yesterday remains in a serious condition in hospital.

The accident happened in London Road at about 11.35am yesterday. This morning he was still being trreated in the intensive care department of the Great Western Hospital, Swindon.

Witnesses saw the man fall back onto the pavement after the incident.

The man, who has not been identified, was taken by ambulance to nearby John Bentley School in Wenhill Lane where he was transferred to an air ambulance.

Police cordoned off London Road and a forensic investigators examined the scene.

Motorists were diverted around Calne towards Compton Bassett but a tree which had fallen on the road caused further congestion and queues backed up toward the town.

Road works along the A3102 towards Melksham were already causing congestion on the main roads leading to Calne.

The driver of the Kwik Skip vehicle was seriously shaken and was taken to the house of a friend near the scene where police questioned him.

Construction worker Ben Sweet, 25, and his father Richard, 60, of SWS Builders, were re-roofing a house when they saw the accident.

Mr Sweet junior said: "I just saw the guy fall back onto the pavement after he was hit.

"I went to see if he was okay but by that time there were about five people from along the street seeing to him.

"It was such a noise, I couldn't believe it, I just went into auto-pilot and shouted at my dad to call an ambulance."

Mr Sweet senior said: "I heard an almighty bang and thought Ben had fallen from scaffolding."

Acting Inspector Chris Moore from the Chippenham Road Policing Unit, who is leading the investigation, said: "A male pedestrian was in collision with a vehicle and was flown by air ambulance to hospital with serious injuries between 12.20pm and 12.30pm."

He asked for any witnesses to contact the Road Policing Unit at Chippenham or call 0845 408 7000 .

Great Western Ambulance Service said a paramedic rapid response unit was at the scene within 11 minutes of receiving the call.

Kwik Skip, which is based in Abberd Lane near the scene of the accident, refused to comment.