POLICE are appealing for help to trace a van driver who ran over and broke the foot of teenager who was making his way to school.

Kane Hodgson, 13, of Coniston Road, Ferryhill, was injured at 8am on Wednesday, June 4, while he walked to Ferryhill Comprehensive School.

As he stood on a traffic island on Darlington Road, opposite Barclays Bank, he was struck by the van which broke his right foot.

The teenager managed to stumble home and was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital.

The white Transit van did not stop and the police believe that the driver may not realise that he has been in an accident.

Julie Hodgson, Kane’s mother, said: “He was on the traffic island but it’s unsure whether his foot was partly off it and on the road at the time.

“It was very shocking. When he got home he was crying and in lots of pain.

“I would like to think that it was a freak accident and the driver might not realise what he done.”

Kane was wearing a black body warmer over a navy hooded baseball jacket with maroon sleeves. He had an orange and blue scooter with him.

The van is described as a white, box style with black fixings down the side.

PC Liz Clark, of Ferryhill police, said: “We are unsure whether the driver of the van was aware that they collided with the boy.

“We would like to speak to the driver so that we can establish exactly what happened.”

Anyone who can help trace the van driver should contact Durham Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800-555-111.