Oldham police appeal after woman 90s hit in Failsworth

Albert Road West, normally a humdrum cut-through between the chippie and the park, fell silent at two on Wednesday afternoon when a reversing car clipped a tiny figure on the pavement. She's in her nineties, the sort of woman who still calls the corner shop 'the grocer's', and tonight she's lying in hospital while doctors talk in low voices about bleeds and broken bones.

Neighbours who poured out of their gates say the driver leapt from the seat white-faced, repeating 'I didn't see her'. Within minutes the air smelled of antiseptic and hot brake pads as paramedics worked under a foil blanket. One lad on a BMX told officers he thought the car had reversed 'fast, like the driver realised too late'.

The SCIU wagon arrived like a grey ghost, cameras on tripods measuring tyre marks that disappear beneath a now-familiar floral tribute. Officers are knocking door-to-door, asking for dash-cam clips, CCTV from the bookies, even doorbell footage of someone nipping out for milk. They need the clip before the loop wipes, before memories blur.

Traffic cones still narrow the carriageway this morning, forcing buses to swing wide past the spot where a pair of tartan slippers were left behind. Commuters grumble about delays, then lower their voices when they remember why the road is half shut. A serious-condition label means the family are holding vigil, and the next update could come at any hour.

If you drove past, walked past, or simply glanced up from your washing-up at the crucial second, the plea is simple: ring 0161 856 4741, quote log 1936 of 07/01/2026, or whisper it anonymously to Crimestoppers. One short call might spare a proud old lady's loved ones from forever wondering what really happened on their own street.