A TWO-YEAR-OLD boy feared to have suffered serious injuries when he was struck by a car on Saturday has escaped with just bumps and bruises.

The toddler and his father, a man in his twenties, were struck by a Toyota Aygo car in Willington, County Durham, at 4.10pm on Saturday afternoon.

The collision happened as the boy ran into the road from a nearby cafe and his father was injured when he tried to pull his son to safety.

Police were called to the scene in the town’s High Street at 4.15pm, along with the Great North Air Ambulance Service which landed on the green shortly afterwards.

The toddler was airlifted to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle with head and suspected spinal injuries.

His father, who is in his 20s, suffered a minor injury to the elbow.

Inspector Simon Gdaniec, of Durham Police, said: "I am relieved to tell you that the little boy is doing significantly better.

"I have spoken to staff at the hospital and they told me that he is bumped and bruised but there is no significant head injury and no spinal injury.

"He is expected to be discharged from hospital later today. He is a very fortunate little boy.”

Durham Police would like to speak to anybody who may have seen the accident, or been within the area prior to the collision.

Anybody with any information is asked to contact the collision investigation unit on 0191-375-2159 or Sergeant Simon Kestle on the non-emergency number 101 quoting reference DHM-30072016-0341.