Taxi hits boy while cycling on pavement

A FURIOUS mother has told how her son was left needing hospital treatment after a "hit-and-run" involving a taxi just yards from their home.

Kirsty Williams said her seven-year-old son Ronan was knocked off his bike by a white cab that was partly parked on the pavement on Broomhouse Grove.

The youngster had been cycling his red bike, which he got as a present for his birthday last month, on the pavement with his classmate and neighbour Grant Herbert, 7, when the taxi is said to have driven off, clipping Ronan's bike wheel in the process.

The Broomhouse Primary pupil suffered cuts to his chest and right elbow, which he also chipped, in the incident on Monday afternoon, and was taken to the Sick Kids Hospital for treatment.

Mrs Williams, 34, said her son was left so badly traumatised that he has been suffering nightmares ever since.

The mother-of-seven said: "The taxi hit Ronan's bike and he went flying off. The driver just drove off. Ronan was traumatised and has been up with nightmares. He was in such hysterics after it happened."

Ronan was at the Sick Kids Hospital for around four hours, where he had his elbow and chest X-rayed and the wounds cleaned and dressed.

His brothers - Shaun, 16, Scott, 10, Ryan, 10, and Shane, 9 - and sister Kimberley, 4, were in a nearby play park at the time and witnessed the incident.

Mrs Williams, who was having a coffee with Grant's mum, Sue Herbert, in Mrs Herbert's house on Broomhouse Grove at the time of the incident, said: "About a dozen children were out playing at the time and witnessed what happened, but they never got a chance to get the registration.

"The CCTV wasn't pointing the right way."

Mrs Herbert and Mrs Williams heard screaming and rushed outside to see what had happened.

Mrs Herbert, 43, said: "Grant came running over and said Ronan had been hit with a car. He was lying half on the kerb and half on the road, and the bike was on top of him. He was screaming.

"You try and teach kids to be safe when they're on the road but you don't expect them to be knocked down on the pavement. It's ridiculous."

Ronan will return to hospital on Monday to have his elbow examined again by doctors.

Mrs Williams said Ronan was still "a bit teary" when he started back at school on Wednesday, which was his first day in primary three.

She said: "He really liked going out on his bike but he won't go near it now.

"The brakes don't work and the wheels are buckled anyway."

Mrs Williams added: "The whole area is in uproar. A lot of cars do speed up and down and round Broomhouse Grove, it does get quite dangerous at times.

"I want to make people aware that children don't have to be on the road to be run over."

A police spokesman said: "We are investigating a report of a hit-and-run incident that happened in Broomhouse Grove on Monday, August 16.

"A seven-year-old child suffered cuts and grazing in the incident, which happened at around 2pm."

"Anyone who has any information that can help our inquiries should contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131-311 3131."