A 20-year-old man is in a critical condition after hitting a parked car while riding his moped along Cromwell Road in Newport.

Emergency services were called to the scene at 2pm and the man was taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital, suffering with serious head injuries.

The man's family are thought to be keeping vigil at his bedside.

Eyewitness Christine Ormond of Cromwell Road, said the moped was riding in the direction of Nash Road when it tried to overtake another vehicle.

She said: “I saw the driver’s crash helmet slip off moments before he hit the parked car, that was on the other side of the road. There was then a loud smash and he fell over it on to the floor.”

The accident happened outside C U Mehmi and Sons newsagent.

Owner Shina Mehmi heard the bang and ran out to see people rushing to help the victim, who was riding a blue Piaggio New Skipper moped.

He said: “A friend of his was shouting ‘call an ambulance’, so I did that. There were others trying to look after him. A customer who was a nurse was helping and telling him not to move.”

Mr Mehmi said two ambulances arrived within five minutes and paramedics helped the victim as he walked into one of the ambulances.

Police cordoned off part of the road for two hours, while the area was cleared.

Both the moped and the red Alfa Romeo, which had a smashed back window, were taken away.