A DRIVER who knocked down a 12-year-old boy could not have avoided him, an inquest was told yesterday.

Joe Caven-Norris was crossing the road after getting off a bus yards from his home in Margrove Park village, near Guisborough, east Cleveland, last July.

Two youngsters stepped back when they saw a silver BMW car a short distance away, but Joe decided to run across the road and was hit.

Joe’s parents, Kevin Norris and Andrea Caven, attended the inquest yesterday.

They heard how the impact of the collision threw Joe into the air and he hit his head on the road as he landed, causing severe brain damage.

By the time he was transferred by air ambulance to The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, he had lost consciousness.

He died from severe head injuries a day later.

Philip Bellwood, the BMW’s driver, did not attend the inquest, but in a statement read out on his behalf, he said: “I do not think there is anything I could have done to prevent this tragic accident.”

PC Paul Hargreaves, of Cleveland Police, said a 40mph speed limit was in place at the accident scene in Margrove Road, leading into a 30mph limit at Margrove Park village.

He calculated Mr Bellwood had been driving at 44mph.

PC Hargreaves told the inquest: “He reacted in reasonable time. Even if the BMW had been travelling at 40mph, the collision would still have been unavoidable.

“On balance of probability the accident would not have happened if there had been a 30mph speed limit.”

Coroner Michael Sheffield recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Mrs Craven has asked Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council to lower the speed limit on that stretch of Margrove Road.

A council spokesman said: “We will be studying the inquest report and the comments made by Cleveland Police, however at this stage we are unable to further comment as a court case surrounding the incident is still pending.”

■ Mr Bellwood has been charged with careless driving and will appear before Guisborough magistrates on February 23, when he will enter a plea.