A cycle courier left with serious injuries following a crash has thanked the “amazing” strangers who helped him pay his rent.

Damien Doughty, 37, was left unable to work after the crash in Victorian Grove, Stoke Newington last month, when he was hit by a car that didn’t stop.

Struggling to make ends meet, he set up a crowdfunding page to help pay his £300 rent – and was astonished to see the target smashed.

As it stands, £2,735 has been donated, mostly by strangers, leaving Damien feeling “blessed”.

“It’s insane! To get that much support from people is amazing,” he told the Gazette. “People reaching out like that that, it’s one of those moments you will look back on.”

The money will be used for rent and to pay off the debts run up on the credit card he has been using since his crash.

Damien, who has lost two stone since the crash, is waiting for test results to determine the damage sustained to his lacerated liver. He also suffered a broken hand and internal bleeding in the collision.

It will be more than a month before he is able to get back on the saddle, but he revealed he had started a part-time job this week, much to his delight.

“When I came out of hospital I was bed ridden,” he said. “I have become so unfit and I couldn’t cook for myself. I’m lucky I’ve got some good friends who came over to help me out. I’m feeling stronger every day now.”

He recently wore the hoodie he was wearing at the time of the crash and found a business card left by a witness, with what he believed was the car’s registration number.

A woman, 23, has been arrested on suspicion of GBH with intent, failing to stop at the scene and causing injury by dangerous driving. She has been bailed until April.