A primary school pupil was airlifted to hospital yesterday after being hit by a car while walking home from school in a Highland town.
The Dornoch youngster – believed to be an eight-year-old – was taken by air ambulance to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.
He was breathing and conscious when ambulance crews and police arrived at the scene of the accident.
A police spokesman described the collision as “serious”, but added that the condition of the boy was not known last night.
The crash happened in Evelix Road, about 300 yards from the local primary and secondary schools, beside the path to the Willows housing development and near the war memorial.
The road was closed for several hours last night as accident investigators examined the scene.
East Sutherland councillor Jim McGillivray has been calling for action to improve safety on the road.
“I’m just absolutely horrified at this. It’s the worst news. Let’s hope the kid is ok,” he said last night.
“I’ve been trying to get improvements on that stretch of road for years now – and in fact there is an improvement on the way.
“It’s going to be a restriction on both sides – a narrowing of the road on both sides. It’s out for consultation and due to come in next year.
“There’s a lot of traffic on the road, it’s the busiest road in the county after the A9. You wouldn’t have to be speeding for something to happen.”
Last night at the scene, investigators were examining a black Renault Clio.
A schoolbag could be seen lying on the pavement on the opposite side of the road.
One local resident said: “The helicopter came straight over the top of the house – the house was shaking. I heard the sirens and realised something was wrong.”
Local councillor Deirdre Mackay said: “Any accident involving a child is serious, but particularly outside a school.
“We will want to know exactly what the circumstances are surrounding the accident. The safety of our children is paramount.”
A police spokesman said last night: “At around 3.40pm this afternoon, emergency services received a report of a serious road traffic collision outside Dornoch Academy involving a car and a young male pedestrian.
“The child has been airlifted to Raigmore Hospital. His exact condition is unknown at this time.
“The road outside the school will remain closed whilst officers from the road policing unit carry out an investigation into the circumstances of the collision.
Paul Monaghan, MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, said: “I’m very sorry to hear that there has been a road traffic accident and a young child has been injured. My thoughts are with the family.”
Yvonne Ross, former chairwoman of Dornoch Area Community Council, said: “It’s terrible news and my thoughts go out to the family.”
Police have urged witnesses to the accident to contact them on 101.