Shop workers and pedestrians have spoken of their horror after an elderly man was decapitated by a lorry on Friday morning.

Dozens of people, including children, witnessed the horrific accident which happened just after 11am at the junction of Upper Tooting Road and Dafforne Road in Tooting.

It is understood the man, thought to have been in his 90s, had been crossing the street outside estate agents Your Move, opposite Tooting Bec tube station.

According to witnesses he was holding onto the bumper of the lorry when the lights changed and he went under its wheels as it moved forward.

The lorry driver, who it is believed was unable to see him, was so traumatised that he suffered a suspected heart-attack about an hour after the incident.

Following the incident Tooting MP Sadiq Khan launched a website where residents can report accidents and places they think are unsafe.

He said, "Even before this accident, I have been of the view that more needs to be done to make our streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users.

"Too often local residents know a particular stretch of road is dangerous, we can’t keep waiting for accidents to happen before we address this serious issue – one accident is too many.

"I want residents to help build a picture of our local streets using their local knowledge, so Wandsworth Council and Transport for London get the real picture of what our roads are like for pedestrians and cyclists.

"Visit www.sadiqkhan.org.uk/saferstreets to see the website."

Witness Patricia Judge, who works at Your Move, said: "As the man crossed the road at the traffic lights, he was holding onto the front bumpers of the giant lorry for balance while it was stationary, still using his stick with his other hand.

"People across the road shouted at the lorry to stop as the lights turned green and the man was still in front, holding on.

"The lorry driver didn’t notice in time and he was so high up that he couldn’t see the man in his blind spot at the front of the lorry.

"We saw the lorry jolt up and down as it ran the man over. We could see the man’s body all squashed up under the car, as well as his head by the side of the lorry and his arm, which was also severed.

"His walking stick was just lying at the side of the road all day until the police re-opened the road at 5.30pm.

"By chance there was an ambulance right behind the articulated lorry, which stopped immediately to help as the accident happened, but it was obviously too late for the man."

Harris Apostolou, who owns Harris Barbers’ on Upper Tooting Road, said: "This was the worst accident I have ever seen and I have seen a few, especially at the busy intersection.

"After I saw it, I was so shocked I couldn’t walk. There are still some bloodstains on the road from it, although not as many as there were after the accident.

"I had three people waiting in the shop for a haircut, and one in the chair, who also witnessed the accident and were all very shaken by it.

"I heard a woman scream outside, looked out and saw a man’s body squashed under the lorry.

"Every time I cross that road now, I think of it, it is always in the back of my mind - I cannot forget about it."

A cashier at Notka food store, said she had served the victim minutes before the accident, and described the elderly man as a regular customer.

She said: "He always comes in with a zimmer frame, that day was the first time I have seen him with his stick instead.

"He had been in the shop for some time as he couldn’t find his wallet when it came to pay, and it took him five or six minutes to find it.

"Once he found it, he paid with a £10 and forgot to take his change that was left on the counter.

"The lorry driver didn’t realise he had run someone over until another man in a car on the other side of the intersection used his horn several times to alert him to stop.

"The man stopped his truck after only a few metres, with the body still under it."

Upper Tooting Road was closed for about six hours causing traffic gridlock.

A post mortem examination took place at Battersea Coroners Court on Tuesday and an inquest was adjourned.

The victim has not been named, although the next of kin have been informed, and the lorry driver has not been charged.

Police have appealed to the public for information about Friday's incident - witnesses are asked to call the Road Death Investigation Unit based at Hampton Traffic Garage on 020 8941 9011.