A nine-year-old girl was left with a fractured skull following a serious crash with a male cyclist in Richmond.

The young girl was playing football with her friends in in Dovecote Gardens (Jubilee Gardens) near Mortlake High Street on Friday (June 29) when the crash happened.

According to Metropolitan Police a man was cycling at speed with his dog attached to his bike via a lead when the dog lead struck the girl's legs and knocked her over.

The cyclist allegedly stopped to remove one of the girl's shoes, which had got stuck in his bike wheel, before cycling off.

The Metropolitan Police say he returned a short time later and briefly spoke to the victim's mother. She was unable to take his details as she was tending to her daughter and the man left the scene.

The girl was taken to hospital following the incident, where she was found to have a fractured skull. She has since been discharged from hospital.

The girl was playing football with her friends in Dovecote Gardens when the collision happened

Metropolitan Police has launched an appeal to find the man believed to be involved in the incident.

He is described as a white aged between 50 and 60-years-old, with grey hair. He was wearing a light green T-shirt and a khaki green fisherman-style hat at the time of the crash.

Police are urging the man to come forward, or for anyone with information to contact police on 101 quoting reference 1996/2 July.