A YOUNG girl was in a "poorly but stable" condition in hospital today with serious head injuries after she was knocked down by a car.

Police said seven-year-old Sarah O'Brien, of Carleton Street, Nelson, was hidden by parked cars when she ran into the road at the junction of Liverpool Road and Owen Street, Rosegrove, Burnley.

She was in collision with a Ford Escort estate car being driven by Carol Sim, 34, of Berry Street, Burnley.

The youngster was taken to Burnley General Hospital but later moved to Pendlebury Children's Hospital, Manchester.

Sarah and her family lived close to Castercliffe Primary School, Marsden Hall Road North, Nelson, until a couple of months ago.

A spokesman for Castercliffe, where Sarah is a pupil, said: "She is a lovely little girl. We are very concerned about this and we hope that everything turns out all right."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.