A taxi driver mounted the pavement and ploughed into a number of pedestrians in a busy city centre.

No one was seriously hurt but at least three people were struck by the Peugeot yesterday, at the bottom of Dyke Road, Brighton.

Witnesses said onlookers had to physically open the taxi door to stop the apparently oblivious driver.

Joe Chatfield, 25, of Brighton, saw what happened from a terrace at his workplace Domestic and General, Queen Square.

He said: “I saw the taxi come up from the pavement. At first I thought he’d hit the wheelie bins but then I saw at least three or four people on the floor.

“He covered about 40 foot of pavement. He just kept on driving. It seemed like he didn’t know what happened.

“Pedestrians had to crowd round his car and open the door to get him to stop.

“My colleague had a scape to his leg and has taken to hospital though he wasn’t badly hurt.”

Police were called at 2pm yesterday following a report that a taxi driver had struck a number of pedestrians.

The cause of the collision is being investigated and the vehicle has been seized for examination.

The road was temporarily blocked.

Police appealed for witnesses to call 101 quoting serial 0667 of 05/09 or email contact.centre@sussex.pnn.police.uk.