A WOMAN pedestrian suffered a broken neck and blood clots on her brain in a collision with a car as she crossed a road in Bradford city centre.

Lynn Smith, an artist who has painted colourful murals in subways around the city, was injured as she made her way towards an underpass to do more artwork.

Police said Miss Smith was crossing the road at the junction of Nelson Street and Croft Street - close to Bradford Interchange and Jacob's Well - when she was in the collision with a Volkswagen Golf car.

Officers are investigating how it happen. A police spokesman said Miss Smith was heading in the direction of the city centre at the time.

The 40-year-old's partner, Lance Windsor, said she hit her head on the car's windscreen before landing in the road.

Miss Smith, who has a 22-year-old daughter, was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary following the collision, which happened at about 3.20pm on Tuesday, and later transferred to Leeds General Infirmary.

Mr Windsor, 46, said: "She had two blood clots removed from her brain and really bad swelling on her brain. She has broken her neck, a busted-up face, and a small bone has broken in her spine.

"I have been told she could have died. We are hoping she will pull through and be okay."

Miss Smith, of Rathmell Street, Bankfoot, was photographed by the Telegraph & Argus earlier this year painting a mural in a subway at Jacob's Well.

"Lynn was doing voluntary work re-painting the subways," said Mr Windsor. "She was on her way back to the subways to carry on painting. She had her bag with paint brushes in."

An spokesman for Yorkshire Ambulance Service said: "We got a call at 3.21pm to reports of a collision. We sent one rapid response vehicle and an ambulance and took one patient to Bradford Royal Infirmary with reports of facial injuries."

Police said the 49-year-old man driving the Golf was not injured.

Officers want to hear from any witnesses to the collision, or anyone who saw Miss Smith or the Golf prior to the collision. Witnesses can contact PC 665 Simon Ellis at the Western Area Roads Policing Unit on 101.