The family of a newly-wed woman seriously injured by a hit-and-run driver have pleaded for witnesses to come forward.

Sarah Rafi, 21, of Carnarvon Road, Southend - who only recently married Mohammed Umer, 22, in Pakistan - was hit by a car as she went for a walk with her sister, Bashir.

At around 9pm last Friday the pair were in Thorpe Esplanade, at the junction with Warwick Road, Southend, when Sarah was hit by the car as they stood by the kerb.

After hitting her, Bashir claims the driver switched his lights off and sped away.

She said: "There were two people in the car and I suppose the driver didn't want me to read the number plate, so he turned his lights off.

"It happened so quickly that all I saw was Sarah going in the air and coming down again."

She suffered very serious head injuries, including a broken jaw, and on Saturday she underwent lifesaving surgery at Southend Hospital.

Bashir continued: "The doctors were not very hopeful to begin with and the last few days have been very traumatic but we are so happy now Sarah is recovering. We want to see the driver arrested and get some justice. Our last hope is that people come forward or the driver turns himself in.

Mohammed has been "going mad with worry" as he waits for his travel documents to go through so he can come to England. Bashir said: "He is devastated. He is so worried because he can't be here with Sarah to see how she is."

The family now hopes that Sarah will be discharged from hospital at the weekend.

Detectives will stop and question drivers in the area where the hit-and-run happened. Officers from the Rayleigh road policing unit will approach motorists on Friday - a week to the day after the smash happened.

Police also appealed for help in tracing a white Sierra hatchback seen moments before the smash. The car has black bumpers and a dent in the rear driver's side wing.

Witnesses should call PC Tuck on 01268 775533.

Sarah Rafi

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