A PENSIONER said he is lucky to be alive after being involved in a hit and run in Horwich.

Frank Fitzgerald was hit on Monday last week outside the leisure centre after he had gone there to find his nephew's stolen car.

The 75-year-old had been in the All Seasons Leisure Centre with his nephew Jack when he realised that his keys had been stolen from his locker.

They managed to track the car via an in-car tracker to Horwich Leisure Centre so Mr Fitzgerald set off on his motorbike.

He said: "We saw that it had been stationary for quite a while so we thought they might have dumped it so I went to go and block it in with my bike and wait for Jack to be able to come and pick it up."

The Chorley resident said that when he arrived at the leisure centre two PCSOs were also there.

He explained: "I had parked up and I then I heard one of the PCSOs scream and I turned around and there was a man getting in to Jack's car.

"I was about 15ft away from the car and the next thing I know he gunned straight for me. I could not move fast enough and he hit me.

"I went flying through the air and bounced off another car before I hit the ground. I think he drove at my purposely to get me out of the way.

"I was just trying to get out of the way and I got struck by a panicking mad man.

"He narrowly missed hitting a lady and a child as he sped off."

Mr Fitzgerald was taken to hospital where he received treatment for cuts to his arms.

Police said that the man fled the scene in the Vauxhall Corsa and headed towards Horwich town centre.

Thanks to a Facebook appeal the car was found dumped in a residential street in Horwich.

Mr Fitzgerald added: "At no point did I try to be a hero, not at all, I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Greater Manchester Police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward by calling 101 quoting incident 1682 of September 19 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.