Shocked passengers of a hit-and-run minibus which struck a pedestrian in the road have been asked to search their consciences and name the driver.

Police are making in-depth inquiries to trace the driver of the people carrier, thought to be a private hire Mercedes-Benz Vito, which hit and drove over New Year reveller Anthony Rogivska, and left him for dead in the road.

Mr Rogivska, a 25-year-old groundworker, of Buttershaw, Bradford, suffered serious injuries, was detained in hospital for 16 days and has been left disabled.

The vehicle ran over the left side of his body, from his groin to shoulder. Every rib on the left side was broken, some in two places. Two of them punctured his lung and he narrowly avoided having his heart pierced.

Mr Rogivska also suffered a badly broken left wrist, which was run over as he raised it to protect his head, and has left him disfigured after it set at a peculiar angle.

Police have now been told by an anonymous witness that passengers in the black, or dark-coloured minibus, looked back in shock and horror after the vehicle ran over the pedestrian, at a zebra crossing in Wibsey High Street.

PC Cameron Buchan said yesterday: “A witness described people in the back of the vehicle looking back in shock that it wasn’t stopping.

“It is likely they were either being picked up or dropped off by the taxi in the Wibsey area. Were you in that taxi? It is likely that a group of friends or family were in the vehicle. We urge them to come forward and tell us what they saw and what they know.”

The hit-and-run happened at about 1am on New Year’s Day.

PC Buchan urged the anonymous witness to contact the police again and he appealed to the conscience of the driver.

“He clearly knows what has happened. I am willing to accept that he may have been trying to avoid being embroiled in a fight that was going on at the time, and inadvertently collided with someone. But an accident has happened and we need to trace the driver to see what he has to say.”

Mr Rogivska has previously told the Telegraph & Argus how he could easily have died.

Witnesses described a distinctive blue sticker across the back of the vehicle.

Any witnesses, or anyone with information about the vehicle or the identity of the driver, should contact PC Buchan via 101 or Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555111.