A PENSIONER had a lucky escape after he fell down a pothole and was nearly hit by a car outside Basingstoke hospital.

Michael Hart was on his way to visit a friend at the hospital. The 75-year-old parked his car at the haemophilia centre, in Aldermaston Road, and was walking to the main hospital site when he caught his foot in a pothole and fell on to the road.

The grandfather-of-six, who lives in Barrett Court, Black Dam, Basingstoke, had a lucky escape after a car swerved to miss him when he fell on the stretch of road directly outside St Michael’s Hospice.

Mr Hart, who suffered a sprained ankle and aggravated a previous slipped disk back injury, told The Gazette: “The street light was out in front of St Michael’s Hospice and I fell down a pothole and over on my side. There was a car coming behind me and he swerved out of the way of my head. He had loud music blaring and didn’t stop.”

The pensioner added: “I got into the hospital and I was dishevelled and in shock, and two nurses sat me down and told me to try to relax and get my composure back.

“It took me three days to find out who owned the road, and I phoned them up and told them what had happened and they were just not concerned. I just want that road put right because that could lead to more injuries or maybe a death.”

The road is owned by the Homes and Communities Agency, a Government agency which worked with developer Taylor Wimpey on the nearby Park Prewett development.

A Homes and Communities Agency spokesman said: “The winter conditions have damaged parts of the road and we fully appreciate Mr Hart’s desire to address this.

“That’s why we have agreed with Taylor Wimpey that work to repair the potholes will start this month.”