Father's heartfelt plea to find hit-and-run driver who left his son with brain trauma

Harvey Aitken was cycling along Wharfdale Road, Tyseley, when he was struck by a car.

Since the collision, the 16-year-old has struggled with a speech impediment and memory loss and his family have been told it will take up to two years for him to fully recover.

West Midlands Police has now released CCTV images of two cars officers are trying to identify in connection with the incident.

The first vehicle believed to have been involved pulled up shortly afterwards, while a second car stopped and appeared to flash the driver of the other car, before they were both driven away.

Police are urging the drivers of both vehicles to come forward following the incident, which happened at around 11.35pm on July 9.

Harvey's father, Andrew Aitken, has also issued a plea for any witnesses to come forward, describing what happened as "every parents’ worst nightmare".

He said: "Harvey has suffered a severe brain trauma as a result of this hit-and-run and we have been told it will take up to two years for him to fully recover.

"When I received the phone call at 3am that morning my heart sank, it is every parents’ worst nightmare.

"The whole family has been impacted by this incident, including Harvey's five siblings who were distressed to hear what had happened to their brother.

"We as his parents feared for his life and it has been such a battle for the family unit as a whole.

"I am appealing to anyone who saw or heard anything that night to please contact the police because the person responsible needs to be brought to justice.

"They left our 16-year-old son lying in the road for dead.

"Thankfully Harvey is a strong lad and a survivor but this incident has had a profound impact on his life."

People can contact the police force's traffic investigation unit via live chat on its website, or by calling 101, and quote log 4494 of July 9.