Friends pay tribute to child killed in accident

3:05am Monday 7th July 2008

FRIENDS have been paying tribute to a 12-year-old boy who died after being hit by a car only yards from his home.

Joe Caven-Norris, from the village of Margrove Park, near Guisborough, east Cleveland, died on Saturday afternoon after suffering head and chest injuries in the accident on Thursday.

The youngster was hit by a silver-grey BMW car at about 3.50pm, as he was getting off the number 828 bus outside his terraced home.

He was airlifted to The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, but died two days later.

Sitting next to him on the bus on Thursday was one of his best friends, Scott Matthewman.

The youngsters are pupils at Laurence Jackson School, in Guisborough.

Scott, also 12, had got off the bus in the nearby village of Charltons, to take his school bag home. He then walked to meet Joe in Margove Park, but found his friend lying in the road.

He said: "Joe was a wonderful person. He was mad on bikes and always riding up in the woods. He was great at doing jumps and always wanted to be outside.

"On Saturday, we had been planning to go to Great Ayton quarry to ride our bikes. We couldn't wait for the summer holidays to come to be out on our bikes all the time.

"He had a great sense of humour and loved making people laugh. Even when it was pouring down, he would be singing.

"After the accident we planned to do a fun run to get him the bike he really wanted. We really want to go ahead with the fun run in his memory."

Nicola Slater, 14, a close friend and neighbour, said: "He was a lovely, friendly person who was very popular and easy to talk to.

"On Friday, the headteacher said anyone who had been affected by what had happened should stay behind in assembly and everyone did."

Police have made another appeal for witnesses who were on the bus, or in the area, at the time of the accident.

Call PC Matt Simpson on 01642-326326.