Our son, 14, was hit by a car after ‘being chased by neighbour angry he had gone into his garden to get ball’
PARENTS have told how their son was hit by a car after allegedly being chased by a neighbour who was angry he had gone into his garden to retrieve his football.
Schoolboy Stevie Taylor-Lovatt, 14, was brought hospital in an ambulance after the shocking incident in Smallthorne, Stoke-on-Trent.
His family claim he was chased by a man wielding what looked like an iron bar and was hit by the car after running away terrified.
He suffered a broken collar bone, a broken finger, cuts to head and face which needed stitches - as well as a concussion.
His step-father Nathan, 32, told : "Stevie was with two of his mates. They went into a garden to get a football.
“According to witnesses, a guy has come out of the house and chased them into the road.
"Stevie was so scared, he wasn't thinking about where he was going. He ended up running in front of a car."
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Stevie is now being forced to miss school until after the half-term holiday while he recovers.
Nathan said: "He was unconscious at first. When he came round he didn't know where he was or what had happened. He said he wanted to go home.
"My wife was frantic when she heard, she was screaming. He could have been killed. I've never experienced anything like it, it was awful."
He added: "Physically he's sore and tired, but mentally he doesn't even want to cross the road. It's really shaken him up.”
Nathan says he spoke to the man who allegedly chased the boys, but he denied everything.
He claimed: "The bloke said the lads ran away when a car pulled onto his drive. He said he didn't come out of the house. But there are witnesses who say different.
"The police didn't bother speaking to any of the witnesses or getting their details - there were two in the car that hit him, two in the car behind and the two boys who were with Stevie. They haven't looked at any CCTV to see what happened.
"It took two days for me to get a phone call back from the police and they said they wouldn't be able to come and take a statement until nearly a week later. They haven't done anything."
Nathan has now lodged an official complaint with Staffordshire Police.
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A spokesman for Straffordshire Police said: "Police were called to Ford Green Road, Stoke-on-Trent, at 8pm on May 17 following reports of a collision. Officers attended as did paramedics.
"It was reported a car and a pedestrian were involved in a collision. A 14-year-old boy was treated at the scene and taken to hospital for precautionary checks. The driver is assisting police with inquiries. Inquiries are ongoing."