THE family of a three-year-old boy killed in a suspected hit-and-run have spoken about their "living nightmare" as police renewed an appeal for information about his death.

Danny Wake, from Darlington, died on Monday (November 4) after apparently being hit by a vehicle as he walked home with his mother, after picking a catalogue so he could choose his Christmas presents.

His parents, Kayren Winter and Danny Wake Senior, attended at an emotional press conference at Durham Police headquarters on Friday afternoon.

Danny’s uncle, Stuart Sherlock, read a statement on behalf on behalf of Miss Winter and Mr Wake.

Mr Sherlock said: “Words cannot describe how we as a family are feeling since the loss of our beautiful little angel, Danny.

“Since Monday, we can only describe our lives as a living nightmare, as we struggle to come to terms with the thought of never seeing our boy again.

The Northern Echo: 'CHEEKY LITTLE SMILE': Danny Wake
KILLED: Danny Wake

“The best way we can describe Danny is as a fun-loving, happy little boy with an incredibly cheeky little smile.

“He was loved by so many and really was the light of our lives.

“We cannot begin to describe just how much he will be missed by his mum, his dad, his little brother Georgie and the rest of our family and friends.”

Inspector Neil Fuller, of the road policing unit, repeated an appeal for the driver of a light-coloured Mercedes Sprinter-style van, which was believed to have been in the Neasham Road/Falmer Road area at the time of the incident, to come forward.

The vehicle is described as having distinctive red markings on the side and back.

Insp Fuller said: “It’s possible, if this is a delivery vehicle, that that the driver may be from outside of Darlington.

“We believe the vehicle was travelling along Neasham Road and turned left into Falmer Road.

“That has not been corroborated, but it is what we believe at the moment.”

Danny’s family backed the appeal, with Mr Sherlock added: “Losing him in such tragic circumstances is devastating and what makes it so much worse is that we don’t know why this has happened.

“Danny was walking home from town filled with thoughts of looking through a catalogue to choose his Christmas presents when he was taken from us.

“Instead of looking forward to planning Christmas as a family, we are now facing the devastating task of planning Danny’s funeral.

“We desperately need to know how and why this happened.

“Our family want to appeal to the person who did this, or who knows who did this, to find it in their hearts to come forward, so we can find the answers we need.

“Imagine if this was your little boy and how you would be feeling. With this in mind, please contact police urgently.”

Since Monday, hundreds of messages of support and bunches of flowers have been left in memory of Danny. The tributes now stretch for more than 30 metres along Falmer Road.

Witnesses are asked to call police on 101.