A cyclist collided with a stationary red Vauxhall Combo car-derived van on Charminster Road between the junctions of Malvern Road and Claremont Road at around 11pm on Wednesday 23 June.

The cyclist – a Bournemouth man in his 20s – was airlifted to Southampton General Hospital in a critical condition.

The road was closed to allow emergency services to deal with the incident and treat the injured man.

Police Sergeant Rhys Griffiths, of the traffic unit, said: “We are carrying out enquiries to establish the full circumstances of this collision and I am appealing for any witnesses to please come forward.

“I would urge any motorists who were travelling in the area and have dashcam fitted to their vehicle to please check it for any relevant footage that may assist my investigation.

“Finally, I would like to thank motorists for their patience during the road closure, which was absolutely necessary to enable emergency services to attend the scene in a safe manner and provide medical treatment.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk, via email at scit@dorset.pnn.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55210100419. Alternatively, to stay 100 per cent anonymous, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers online at Crimestoppers-uk.org or call freephone 0800 555 111.