Woman, identified locally as Sian Green, has surgery on other leg following accident in midtown Manhattan

This article is more than 7 years old

This article is more than 7 years old

A British tourist has had part of her leg severed after being hit by a New York City taxi that had mounted the pavement.

The 23-year-old woman, named locally as Sian Green, suffered a serious leg injury in the collision near the Rockefeller Centre on Sixth Avenue, midtown Manhattan, on Tuesday morning, the New York police department said.

She is believed to be undergoing surgery on the other leg following the crash, with police investigating the cause of the collision.

Sergeant John Buthorn said: "The circumstances are still under investigation, whether it was some sort of rage or an accident. It looks like her leg or part of it was severed during the accident."

He said two other people – the driver and a cyclist involved in a collision which caused the taxi to veer on to the pavement – were treated for injuries. The driver has not been arrested or charged, police said.

It is believed that the tourist had been in New York for just a few hours before she was injured.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We are aware of a traffic incident involving a British national in New York City. Staff at the British consulate general in New York are providing consular assistance at this difficult time."

The woman was said to have been walking along the street with a friend eating a hot dog when the yellow taxi crashed into her.

Passers-by helped to fasten a bandage around the woman's legs to stem the bleeding, while others collected ice from street vendors to pack the severed leg.

Mohamed Elsayed, a food seller, told the Daily Telegraph: "It was a terrible scene. She was thrown into the bushes. She was screaming. Most of her leg was just there on the sidewalk, underneath the cab. We did all we could to help."

The woman was also assisted by Mehmet Oz, a well-known American surgeon who was filming in the area. On Twitter later he praised a plumber, Dave Justino, for his "quick thinking" in tying his belt around the woman's leg.

An NYPD detective, Brian Sessa, said: "A female aged 23 years old was struck by a cab which mounted the sidewalk. She was taken to Bellevue hospital centre where she is being treated for a leg injury."