The gopher was hit at 4.10am as it was crossing Summer Street at the traffic lights adjacent to Post Office Lane.

The injured man was initially flown to Nepean Hospital but as his condition worsened he was transferred to Liverpool Hospital.

At press time he was in surgery following a bleed to the brain and his condition was still listed as critical.

Orange police’s initial investigations have indicated that the female driver of the sedan which hit the man may not have stopped at the red traffic light.

Orange and Cabonne road safety officer Andrea Hamilton-Vaughan said pedestrian or signalised crossings were there for a reason.

“As far as the law is concerned gophers are regarded in the same way that pedestrians are,” she said.

“Drivers need to be careful when they approach pedestrian (and signalised) crossings.

“The council has worked very closely with the Orange Personnel Mobility Group and we were all very concerned when we heard about this accident.”