THE family of a boy who was struck by a vehicle in an incident which led to a man being charged with driving offences, have hailed his escape from fatal injures a "miracle".

Kian Murphy, 14, suffered head and back injuries when he was struck by a vehicle while crossing Burn Lane, in Newton Aycliffe, on Saturday.

According to witnesses, the youngster was flung through the air before sustaining a gash to the back of his head and deep gravel wounds to his back at about 2.30pm.

Kian's father Michael Murphy, of Newton Aycliffe, has praised the care given to his son by a quick-thinking taxi driver who stopped his car to help.

The 35-year-old plumber told The Northern Echo: "The taxi driver thought he was going to go over to a dead body.

"He got his first aid kit out the taxi and bandaged Kian's head and held it."

Mr Murphy received a call from a woman who picked up Kian's phone and he made his way down to the scene within five minutes.

"When I arrived I thanked God I heard him screaming," he added. "There was lots of blood from his head and he was saying 'dad I'm dying' and I said 'no you're not'. He was petrified."

The Woodham Academy pupil was taken to The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, for treatment and arrived in a serious condition.

However, Mr Murphy said to the family's relief it materialised his son's injuries were not as bad as first thought.

The dad-of-two said: "With the amount of blood and the state of him, I thought he would be really badly injured but he's not.

"It's a miracle he wasn't more seriously hurt. He's got a nasty head injury and a really deep gravel rash on his back but no broken bones.

"I never knew miracles or guardian angels before this but his nana (Doreen Lambert) passed away last year and she must have been watching over.

"He got a concussion but he's eating and drinking and did have quite a peaceful night."

Kian, who lives with his father, four-year-old brother Keegan and step-mother Amy Howe, was recovering in hospital yesterday (Sunday).

Mr Murphy said it was a possibility that he would need plastic surgery on his back or hip area, due to the gravel graze, but he hoped Kian would be discharged last night.

  • A 31-year-old man, from Newton Aycliffe, was arrested in the early hours of yesterday. Last night he was charged with aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified, driving a vehicle on a public road and failing to stop after an accident, driving a motor vehicle without third party insurance and driving a motor vehicle without due care and attention. He will appear in court in August.