A 10-year-old boy was knocked down after running into the road to retrieve his football.

And the incident has prompted angry residents to demand that railings be put up around the field where he was playing.

The Accrington Road Neighbourhood Watch Committee has been campaigning for railings to be built around the land in Accrington Road, Burnley, for a number of years.

The incident on Saturday at 6.25pm in which the 10-year-old boy suffered head injuries, highlighted the need for railings, the committee said.

Police said the boy was knocked down by a Citroen car, near the junction with Stansfield Street, after he went to retrieve his ball.

His injuries are not thought to be life threatening, according to police. He is being treated at the Royal Blackburn Hospital.

Andrea Beckett, who is chair of the neighbourhood watch forum and who also helped the boy after the accident, said nothing had been done despite her bringing the issue up at a number of police meetings.

Council leader Gordon Birtwistle, who visited Ms Beckett on Sunday after she contacted him with her concerns, said he had asked the ward councillors to look into using from money allocated to each ward to pay for the railings.

Ms Beckett, who lives in Accrington Road, said: "I am very very angry it has taken something like this to make things happen.

"We will fight for the railings and if it means standing out there with a banner I will do it.

"I have asked for railings for a number of years but was told they won't do anything.

"There is no where else for the kids to play.

"The accident was horrible. The blanket I took out to him was covered in blood, and we don't want anything like this to happen again."

Heidi Rinaldi, of Padgate Place, said she does not let her three children, aged eight, six and two, play on the grassed area.

The 32-year-old said: "We need railings along there because the kids play out there all the time.

"I am angry and something should have been done before this."

A police spokesman said: "It is believed the child ran into the road to retrieve his ball.

"He was taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital but his injuries and not believed to be life threatening."