Learner driver believed to have struck boy and house in Saffron Walden

A five-year-old boy is in hospital after being hit by a car which then struck a house in Gabriel Street, Saffron Walden, Pic: Saffron Walden Fire (Image: Archant)

Essex Police says it believes there were ‘L’ plates on the Renualt Megane, which struck the boy before crashing into the house in Gabriel Street at around 5.15pm on Wednesday.

An East Anglian Air Ambulance airlifted the boy to Addrenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, where he remains in a critical but stable condition.

The driver and the passenger of the vehicle have been voluntarily interviewed by police and enquiries are continuing.

Police are keen to speak to any of the children who were with the boy at the time of the incident but who have not spoken to officers.

Carly Stokes, 36, who lives next door to the house, said: “I didn’t see it but I heard the bang and came running out as my children were playing in the road.

“The boy was hit by the car and dragged across the road. It was terrible because I know the family and our children play together.

“Everyone was screaming, and I found the boy lying behind my car.”

Limin Wang, who lives at the house which was struck by the car, said: “I was cooking in the kitchen when I heard a loud bang.

“I ran out and saw all the commotion. There were lots of children around and people were crying in the street.”

Mrs Wang’s husband Yikang, who was not home from work at the time of the incident, added: “We spent the night in a hotel as there is structural damage to the house. The child is seriously injured and we hope he recovers.”

Witnesses are asked to contact the serious collision investigation unit on 101 quoting incident 756 of 15/03 or email collisionappeal@essex.pnn.police.uk.