A woman pushing a child in a buggy has been hit by a truck on a zebra crossing in South Norwood.

Police have closed Portland Road in both directions after she was struck near the junction with Clifford Road at 9.38am.

The woman, believed to be aged in her late 30s, was said to have be dragged along the road by a Nissan pick-up truck.

She was freed from underneath the vehicle's wheels by passers-by and staff from nearby shops.

Paramedics treated her for a leg injury on the road before taking her as a priority to the major trauma centre at King's College Hospital.

Her injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said.

Firefighters and London's Air Ambulance were also sent to the scene.

The child is not believed to have been hurt.

Jayan Shan, who works at the G7 Express newsagents opposite the zebra crossing, said the injured woman was a regular customer at the shop.

He said she had been dragged along the road by the wheels of the truck, which stopped about 20 feet after the crossing.

Mr Shan added: "I saw the baby first in the middle of the road, still in the buggy. It was OK.

"But the woman was under the car. And people just ran that way and we pulled it up."

He said about eight other people helped haul the car off the woman, who was still conscious.

Another shop owner, who did not want to be named, described frantic attempts to help.

The woman, who runs McFirst Cleaning Services in Portland Road, said: "I had just come across the same crossing and was standing outside and then I heard a scream.

"I saw the buggy flipped on its side and I could see the baby. Straight away I called 999.

"She was screaming under the car and people on the street were screaming as well.

"And then people started shouting, 'lift it up, lift it up.' About eight people lifted the back of it up and down, and people were screaming 'pull her out, pull her out.'

"We didn't know what she looked like under there.

"Her face was bruised, but she was speaking. Her left leg was split, you could see flesh. But there was no blood coming out.

"She was trying to get up. She was traumatised, she was screaming.

She added: "I don't know if managed to push the buggy away when she realised the vehicle was going to hit her.

"If it had hit the buggy it would have crushed the baby."

This Is Local London:

Paramedics treated the woman on the road before taking her to hospital

Isobel Lage, a nurse at nearby Natureza Dental Practice, said she looked outside after hearing a woman "screaming".

She said: "I saw this pick-up truck and people were running down to help.

"They lifted up the truck so she could come out from beneath.

"The baby was crying but I don't think he had any injuries. She must have pushed the pushchair away.

"The woman was conscious but she must have had a huge trauma to her leg."

She estimated the child to be aged about 15 to 18 months.

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said police were called to reports of a crash involving a lorry and a pedestrian.

But firefighters and witnesses said the woman had been struck by a pick-up truck.

A police spokeswoman said she was awaiting an update on the woman's condition.

Officers were this morning studying CCTV at a shop near to the zebra crossing.

A truck could be seen in the road close to where the woman was treated.

Looking visibly shaken, the truck's driver told the Croydon Guardian: "I wish I could say something. I'm not alright, no."

He added: "What happened? It's just what you can see happening, people moving quite quickly."

Peter Storky, who works at Screen Design on Portland Road, said: "It looks quite bad. They have shut the road off.

“I just spoke to a pedestrian walking up the hill - they said it looked nasty, near the zebra crossing.”

This Is Local London:

Clothes and bags could be seen on the road near the truck following the collision

A spokewoman for London Fire Brigade said: “We were called at 9.42am to reports of collision between a pedestrian and a car.

"We attended to make the scene safe. London Ambulance Services are the scene."

Zia Raja, who works at Williams Dry Cleaners in Portland Road, said: "we heard it was a guy driving a Range Rover, like a pick-up truck, and the lady was on the zebra crossing.

"I think the child is OK, but I think the woman has got bad injuries.

"All the shopkeepers are outside. It's quietening down now, but the pick-up truck is still there."

Did you see what happened? Call the newsdesk on 0208 722 6351 or email chris.baynes@london.newsquest.co.uk