Dead cyclist reportedly hit manhole

A manhole cover is believed to be at the centre of an incident that resulted in the death of a cyclist.

An appeal by Lancashire Police for witnesses to the incident in Cowling Brow, Chorley, at around 10.30am BST on 14 August describes how the man, aged 70, “hit a pothole in the road” and was thrown from the e-bike he was riding.

However, it is believed that the defect was not a pothole in the roadway, but the metal cover of a fire hydrant which had sunk below its surrounding rim.

Tar has now been spread over the dangerous area as a temporary safety measure until it can be properly repaired, but images show the sunken cover is still visible at the edge.

The surrounding road surface also began to crack, but did not itself sink significantly.

The police call came on Saturday, almost a month after the man, whose name has not been released, fell off his bike.

He died on August 31 after spending more than two weeks in hospital with serious injuries.

As a highway authority, Lancashire County Council has overall responsibility for carriageway safety and carries out routine inspections of roads across its network on a monthly, quarterly and half-yearly basis, depending on the strategic importance of the route.

For traditional potholes the situation is clearer, with County Hall having a series of targets for speed of repair following a report or discovery, depending on the urgency of the problem and the classification of the road on which the defect occurred.

A Lancashire County Council spokesperson said: “We are very sorry to hear of this incident and our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man who died.

“We are looking into the circumstances of what happened and will cooperate fully with the police investigation.”

United Utilities has been contacted for comment regarding the fire hydrant coverage.

Police have appealed for anyone who witnessed the incident or has dash cam, doorbell or CCTV footage to contact the force.

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