A CYCLIST was left "black and blue" with bruising after he was hit by the door of an exploding telephone box on Tuesday evening.

Martyn Miller was thrown across the road by the blast, which took place at about 6.10pm when he was travelling home along Melrosegate, York.

The explosion, one of a number of firework-related incidents in recent days, severely damaged the 36-year-old's bike and left him with cuts and bruises.

Mr Miller, who works at York Cycle Works, said: "I could see out of the side of my eye something in the phone box and, as I went past, it blew. I must have been six feet away and the whole thing exploded.

"The entire door hit me square on my left leg. It is black and blue. It knocked me six or seven feet across the road, and I just missed an oncoming car."

York Police said three youths were seen running from the scene shortly before the blast.

Telephone boxes in Tang Hall Lane, Hull Road and Bell Farm Avenue were destroyed by fireworks at the weekend, and one in Murton was also destroyed in a blast on Monday night.

l Four people will appear before York magistrates tomorrow in connection with an explosion in a phone box in Murton, near York, on Monday.

Two men aged 18 and 19 and two juveniles aged 13 and 15 are facing a charge of causing an explosion likely to endanger life or property.