A popular young Croydon student was hit by a car and then left to die by a driver who fled the scene before dumping their vehicle.

The 17-year-old cyclist, Olatunji Adeyanju, was hit by a car at around 5pm on Friday at Deptford Church Street, near the junction with Bronze Street.

Police say the teenager, a former deputy head boy at Addey and Stanhope School and Croydon College student, was knocked off of his bicycle by a silver Audi car as he was using the pedestrian crossing.

The driver of the car failed to stop initially, continuing along Deptford Church Street, before turning around at the traffic lights and coming back to the scene.

He paused for a short while before eventually driving off again, turning left into Coffey Street.

Police later found the vehicle dumped in nearby Watergate Road at around 7pm.

Olatunji, known to friends as TJ, was taken by London's Air Ambulance to King's College Hospital with severe injuries and died there at 8.20pm.

TJ was attending sixth form at Croydon College where he was studying for a BTEC in Business Studies.

Friends of the teenager, whose parents live in Nigeria, gathered at the scene over the weekend to lay flowers, tributes, candles, pictures and items of clothing as tributes to their friend.

One wrote: "I honestly don't understand this. Still. You were a humble, wise person and you were the glue of our form and of our year.

"You were the voice of reason and the cheeky smile and the one was friends with all and enemies with none.

"The world needs people like you TJ, but the good die young."

A spokesman for the Met Police said a 27-year-old man had been arrested on Saturday afternoon on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and failure to stop. He has been bailed to a date in May.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or has information that may assist police should call the Road Death Investigation Unit at Catford Traffic Garage on 020 8285 1574 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

A Post Mortem is due to take place at Kings College Hospital Mortuary tomorrow ( 27 March). An Inquest will open and adjourn in due course.

'SOMETIMES IT'S NOT SAFE'

Steve Ruby is a 49-year-old glazier who regularly cycles on Deptford Church Street.

Speaking at the scene of the accident he told News Shopper: "It’s a real shame when something like this happens.

"Sometimes it’s safe to cycle and sometimes it isn’t. There just aren’t enough cycle lanes around here. We have to use back roads and stick to the side roads to stay safe while cycling."

"I cycle whenever I can and prefer to use my bike instead of public transport, but sometimes it’s not safe."

News Shopper also spoke to 37-year-old shop assistant Sarah Lee at the scene of the accident. She said: "There is a real shortage of cycle lanes in the area, especially on Creek Road.

"We aren’t allowed on the paths and there are no designated lanes so sometimes we have no choice but to use the busy main roads."