John Rudge, pictured with his dog Charlie, was knocked over by a hit-and-run van driver who drove around him to flee while he lay in the middle of the road

A 78-year-old was knocked over by a hit-and-run van driver who drove around him to flee while he lay in the middle of the road.

John Rudge was on his way to a shop in Sedgley around 3.30pm yesterday when he was hit by the white Renault Kangoo van, West Midlands Police said.

CCTV footage showed the driver and a male passenger lingering at the scene before speeding away, officers added.

Mr Rudge, who has lived in the area for more than 70 years, was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries and remains in a critical condition.

He is thought to have bruising to his legs, arms and face.

Janet Ash, Mr Rudge's cousin, urged the two men to give themselves up to police.

The 71-year-old said: 'He's got bruising all down his arms and legs, and a big swelling on his head and over his eye.

'I rushed to see him as soon as my neighbour told me and I went in the ambulance with him to the hospital.

'The two young men who did this need to give themselves up and go the police, it is very serious what they have done.

'They should have stopped, they left my cousin for dead. What if he was a child? They must have no feelings. It's disgusting.'

Yesterday one witness told of the horrible moment she saw the pensioner 'tossed into the air' after he was hit by the van.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said: 'I came out of the shop and saw John about to cross the road.

'He was looking both left and right and it was clear. Suddenly a white van came speeding out of Beacon Lane and turned right, straight into John.

'They tossed him into the air, it was horrible. The van slowed down and I saw one of them look in the rear view mirror. Then he looked away and just sped off.

'I ran over to John in shock. I thought he was dead. There was blood all over him.'

The 78-year-old was seen on CCTV leaving the Spar shop before pausing on the edge of the pavement

The white van appeared from nowhere and caught Mr Rudge on his side, throwing him into the air

As the pensioner could be seen lying in the middle of the road the driver reverses in order to go round him

Abbie Bottley, 15, lives next door to Mr Rudge and described him as 'very talkative' and 'really nice'.

She said: 'I go in and talk to him everyday after I walk [his dog] Charlie. I was actually walking Charlie when this happened.

'Mum and dad came running out and said: "Take Charlie home, John’s been hit."

'I tried to leave Charlie at home, but he kept pining for John so I took him over and he slept in my bed last night.

Six passers-by rush to Mr Rudge’s help. He has been left with severe bruising to his face, legs and arms

'Whoever did this is disgusting. Who hits an old man and drives away?'

Abbie's dad, Andy, who has known John since they moved in next door ten years ago, added: ‘A neighbour called up my wife when it happened and I just ran down there.

‘They need to be locked up who did this, it's disgusting. They should hand themselves in, before the police find them.'

Police officers scouring the CCTV footage for clues described the incident as 'sickening'.

PC Leon Whitmore, of West Midlands Police’s traffic unit, added: 'The victim is well known in the area and local people have been left very angry, stunned and sickened by the incident.

Mr Rudge was on his way to a shop (pictured) in Sedgley around 3.30pm yesterday when he was hit by the white Renault Kangoo van, West Midlands Police said

'If the driver didn’t have the courage to stop at the scene, he or his passenger need to find some now and call police.

'If they don’t come to us, I promise them that we will come to them very soon. This is their chance to come forward and explain what happened.'

The men in the van are described as white and in their 20s. They were both wearing high-visibility orange vests.

The vehicle was missing two wheel trims; one from the rear passenger side and also the front driver’s side, and had a large custom-fitted lock on the rear doors.