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A woman has died after being hit by a lorry on a busy east London street.

Police were called at 12.20pm today to reports of a pedestrian in a collision with a lorry on City Road, near Moorfields Eye Hospital in Old Street.

Paramedics battled to save her but the woman, believed to be middle-aged, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A Met Police spokesman said that a 44-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drugs.

City Road has been closed off in both directions between Bath Street and Old Street roundabout, with police officers erecting a cordon.

The collision happened yards from the Moorfields Eye Hospital near the junction with Westland Place.

Witnesses said scores of police cars arrived within minutes and a large section of the road remains cordoned off.

A sliver Range Rover was also seen stopped in front of the six-wheel lorry, which has the logo of haulage company HFI Distribution.

Billy Ricketts, 24, manager of the Boondocks restaurant, told the Standard: "I came just after it happened and the police were cordoning the street.

"The woman was lying in the road. I saw the red towel being put over her and tent was put up.

"From that distance I could not see much.

"The driver was wearing cargo trousers and a jumper. I saw him being taken into a police van but he was not in handcuffs."

The victim has not been formally identified and enquiries are ongoing, a police spokesman confirmed.

There have not been any arrests.

Moorfields Eye Hospital said the main entrance could not be accessed from the Angel end of City Road.

A spokesperson said: "Police are on the scene and the area is closed to vehicles and pedestrians in both directions. Patients coming from Angel can access Moorfields Eye Hospital via the A&E entrance on Cayton Road only."