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A female cyclist has died after she was hit by a lorry in central London this morning.

Police said the 55-year-old woman died after the crash with a truck at the junction of Millbank and Lambeth Bridge near Westminster.

Witnesses described the "horrible" aftermath of the crash at 9.30 this morning as medics battled for 30 minutes to try to save her.

One told the Standard: "The front wheel of the bike was completely squashed under the front wheels of the lorry. The bike was on the lorry's left."

The woman is the fifth cyclist to have been killed in London this year.

Another witness added: "The lorry was stopped on the roundabout at the junction of the bridge and Millbank, and the bike was under the front left wheel. The front wheel was trapped under the lorry".

A separate witness who saw the incident told the Standard the lorry "cut across" the cyclist as it approached Millbank roundabout.

"It travelled probably about 10-15 metres further before stopping," he said. "The bicycle is wedged by its front wheel under the front left wheel of the lorry."

Another person tweeted: "Sobering to see a dead body lying under a red blanket at Lambeth Bridge roundabout and think it could have been you... stay safe, everyone."

Journalist Joshua Coupe tweeted: "Absolutely terrible, just seen a woman cyclist killed by a lorry along Millbank. So sad, thoughts with her family. Happens far too often."

A spokesman said: "We were called at 9.30am by the London Ambulance Service to reports of a lorry in collision with a cyclist. The female cyclist was pronounced dead at the scene at 10.03."

The lorry driver stopped at the scene and was not arrested, police said.

The junction was the subject of a Transport for London consultation on safety in 2012.

But TfL's report on the consultation said: "Having considered responses to consultation, and following concerns voiced by Westminster City Council, we have decided not to proceed with these planned initial improvements at Lambeth Bridge northern roundabout.

"Instead, we will concentrate our resources on developing more substantial improvements that meet the expectations of Westminster City Council and other stakeholders."

Westminster council's cabinet member for sustainability and parking, Heather Acton, said: "We are shocked and saddened by the tragic death of a cyclist in a collision this morning.

"Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of the cyclist involved and we are working with TfL and the Met to support an investigation into the incident.”

Millbank was closed between Vauxhall Bridge Road and Parliament Square, and Lambeth Bridge was closed westbound after the collision.