A 12-YEAR-OLD schoolboy suffered serious head injuries yesterday when he was knocked down by a car on the first day of the new term.

He was hit as he walked home along St Saviour’s Hill at around 4.20 pm beside the pedestrian crossing near Highlands Lane. When paramedics arrived minutes later, he was lying unconscious on the tarmac. He had not regained consciousness by the time he arrived at the Hospital.

The boy, who is thought to be a pupil at Grainville School, was last night airlifted by helicopter to the specialist children’s intensive care unit at Southampton shortly before 11 pm. His condition when he left Jersey was ‘critical, but stable’. His parents are believed to be at his bedside.

The driver of the car involved in the collision was not hurt and did not require any treatment from the paramedics.A spokesman for the police said that the driver had been spoken to by officers. The force spokesman said that inquiries into what happened were continuing today, and he appealed for anyone who had seen the accident to come forward. Anyone with information should call 612612.

• Picture: Police closed off St Saviour’s Hill for seven hours after the accident.  Picture by Richard Wainwright (00610338)