AN appeal launched to help the eight-year-old survivor of a road crash which killed four members of his family has closed after raising more than £44,000.

The money will be put into trust for Macauley Gilbert, who still has both legs in plaster following the accident on the A1 in North Yorkshire on March 3.

Air ambulance medics set up the Miracle Fund - so-called because they felt it was a miracle the boy had survived - within hours of the accident, which happened as the family returned home to Bridlington Parade, Hebburn, South Tyneside, after visiting relatives in Lancashire.

Macauley's mother, Paula Gilbert, 29, her fiance, Neil Jex, 37, and her sons, Tristan, three, and seven-month-old Kaiden died in the collision between their Citroen Saxo car and a Ford Transit. The 22-year-old van driver, from Stockton, was arrested and is on extended police bail until May 21.

Pledges totalling more than £24,300 were made via the Miracle Fund website, cheques worth £15,000 were sent to the appeal and Gift Aid added a further £4,830.

The money will be held in a building society account until a trust fund for Macauley is finalised and the cash can be transferred to the control of the trustees.

Martin Eede, Yorkshire Air Ambulance chief executive, said colleagues were overwhelmed by the generosity of the public.

"I met with members of the family this week and they have asked me to pass on their gratitude to everyone who has donated to the appeal," he said. "With your help Macauley has a far brighter future than could have been expected a few weeks ago."

Since the accident, near Catterick, Macauley has lived with his uncle, Robert Gilbert, and his grandparents, Don and Mary, in Hebburn.

He hopes to have the casts removed from his legs in the next few weeks and to return to school.

The eight-year-old's plight touched the hearts of many, including his favourite football team, Blackburn Rovers. Players visited him at James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, where he was recovering following surgery. The youngster was wearing a Blackburn football shirt at the time of the accident