Accident alerts school to roads warning

GETTING the message . . . Mike Morris (front) with pupils and head teacher Martine Buckley

ROAD safety issues were brought into focus for children at a Chadderton school after an eight-year-old pupil was knocked down.

Youngsters at Yew Tree Community School, in Alcester Street, were set to mark National Road Safety Week with a visit from Warburtons Pennine bakery, who support the scheme, on Friday.

But staff and pupils were left stunned to learn that one of their Year 4 pupils, who has not been named, was knocked down near the school on Thursday evening.

The young boy had been with friends in Coalshaw Green Road at about 5.30pm when it is believed he stepped out from behind a parked vehicle and was hit by a car.

The driver of the car stopped to help the youngster as did a school teacher who was leaving the school at the time. An ambulance was called and the boy was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital where he was treated for a fractured skull and broken collar bone.

He returned home on Friday where he is expected to make a full recovery.

The school decided against a planned balloon launch to mark the week. Instead, Warburtons driver trainer Mike Morris, who lost his 17-year-old son Robert Anthony Morris in a road accident seven years ago, spoke to the children about road safety.

A school assembly was held and representatives from Warburtons worked with different school groups to re-inforce the message about taking care near roads. Head teacher Martine Buckley said: “It is always very sad and upsetting to hear that any child has been hurt but obviously when it is one of our own, it has a real effect on the school.

“I was really grateful to Warburtons for coming to share the massages of road safety with our pupils.

Rais Bhatti, deputy head teacher, said: “There have not been any other accidents around the school and we always ask parents to be aware of parking near the school.”