THE FATHER of a six-year-old boy who was knocked down has called for a new pedestrian crossing to reduce the risk of children being injured.

Robert Taylor also said something needed to be done to stop cars from parking on both sides of Hermitage Street, Rishton, which block the view of pedestrians and motorists.

His son, Alan, was hit by a car on Saturday lunchtime when he ran into the road.

Alan had been going to the shops with his cousin Brian Willis, 15, when the accident happened.

A neighbour alerted Robert and mum Sarah at their home in Fielding Street.

Alan was taken to Blackburn Infirmary, where he was in the intensive care unit for a day and then transferred to another ward, with concussion, cuts and bruises.

Police said the driver involved was blameless. But Robert said there have been several accidents with children on that stretch of road and something needed to be done. Last September, Martin Redhead, nine, of George Street, Rishton, suffered serious injuries when he was hit by a taxi in Hermitage Street.

Robert said: "There's a set of traffic lights and a zebra crossing in High Street, but further down in Hermitage Street there's nothing.

"A pedestrian crossing is needed and something to stop the cars from speeding.

"Some of the drivers come straight off the M65 and drive into Rishton still thinking they are on the motorway."

Alan is now being kept under observation in hospital and his family are at his bedside every day.

Robert added: "As time goes by he talks a bit more, but he is still in shock. Thankfully, he only suffered cuts and bruises and there were no broken bones.

"He's still on a drip but they hope to get him up and about soon. He's been very lucky."

"His cousin said Alan just bolted straight into the road. You can tell children a thousand times, but they are still going to do what they are going to do."

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