A FOUR-year-old boy is fighting for his life in hospital tonight (Monday) after he was in collision with a taxi.

The boy suffered extensive injuries, including a fractured skill and a collapsed lung, in the accident near to his home in Pallister Park, Middlesbrough, at 5.20pm last night (SUNDAY).

Police want to speak to the driver of an ice cream van who may be a key witness.

The boy is understood to have undergone surgery at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle in the early hours of this morning (MONDAY) and was still in a critical condition tonight.

His mother was at his bedside. She told friends that the doctors had done everything they could and she was just waiting and praying.

One relative who saw the little boy after the accident said it was "heartbreaking" to see him so badly injured, and friends and wellwishers sent messages of support on social media.

Neighbours spoke of their shock at the accident and said the street was filled with concerned onlookers.

Cleveland Police said the child was hit by a Skoda Octavia taxi which was travelling along Cotswold Avenue from the direction of Cranmore Road.

They are keen to trace the driver of an ice cream van which was in Cotswold Avenue at the time as they may have important information which will help them piece together the boy's movements.

A police spokeswoman said: "Officers would like the driver of this van to contact them as they may have valuable information on the circumstances leading up to the collision, or even have had CCTV on board which could help."

This driver, or anyone else who witnessed the collision or the child’s movements before it happened, is asked to contact PC Amanda Stokes of the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit on the non-emergency number 101 quoting event 38489.