A promising young student has been killed after being involved in an accident while cycling in London.
Dorothy Elder, 23, was hit by a double decker bus while cycling near Holborn in Central London. The accident left her needing a series of operations, but the tragic student lost her 11-day battle for life.

After the accident she was taken to the Royal London Hospital, and was later taken to St George’s Hospital in Tooting.
The accident, which happened at the junction of Southampton Row and Theobald’s Road, means that Ms Elder is the 12th cyclist to be killed this year in London alone.

Following the accident, Ms Elder’s Facebook page has been inundated with messages of goodwill from grieving friends. Sophie Brearey wrote:

Dearest Dorothy, you were beautiful, kind, and amazingly talented. Forever you will remain in our hearts. Love you xxx”
Another wrote: “Words can’t express how sad I feel. St Martins is not the same without you! I will never forget your beautiful face, you were such a good friend and the most amazing model.

The accident highlights a growing problem in London and the South east of England. There has been a huge surge in the number of people now opting to cycle to work rather than drive or take public transport. The congestion charge and a more “eco” friendly ethos adopted by many has boosted the number of cyclists considerably.

Statistics released by the Office for National Statistics showed a total of 27,800 people were killed or seriously injured in accidents on Great Britain’s roads on weekdays during 2008, or an average of 107 people each day.