A pedestrian was left with a fractured chest and skull when he face-planted into the ground after a runaway tyre hit him on the back of the head.

Roberto Carlos Fernandes, 50, was walking along the pavement with his wife in Ipatinga, Brazil, when the loose tyre came speeding towards him.

It had just come off a vehicle on the opposite side of the dual-carriageway - and careered over two reservations towards the couple.

It bounced several times before smashing into the back of his head - face-planting him into the hard concrete.

Roberto Carlos Fernandes, 50, (left) was walking with his wife when the tyre (pictured) came speeding towards him

It bounced a few times before it eventually struck him on the back of his head in Brazil (pictured)

CCTV footage of the the accident viewed from a local shop was published by journalist Gil Souza.

He said that Mr Fernandes was taken to hospital with a fractured chest and a fractured skull but was now stable and 'feeling much better'.

He added: 'Witnesses said that the vehicle was carrying a trailer and the tyre came loose form the axles on the back of that.

'This was a freak accident where the wheel struck him at the exact moment where his head was.'

The devastating blow immediately knocked him to the ground and he was unconscious

His wife tried to comfort him following the incident and he was immediately rushed to hospital

Mr Fernandes is currently being treated at Marcio Marcio Cunha in the city. He was initially taken into intensive care but is now out of danger.

A report from the Military Police said that they had reviewed the CCTV for clues but could not see exactly where the tyre came from.

They said they seized the rubber tyre but they could not locate the vehicle it had come from.