A BUDDING young karate star was left with a fractured skull and multiple injuries after a road accident.

Steven McLaughlin, 10, suffered serious injuries following a collision with a car as he crossed Whalley New Road, Blackburn, to go to a shop.

He had been sent on an errand by his father Paul, 34, and mother Debbie, 28, of Bastwell Road.

The youngster, a pupil at Knuzden Junior School, was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary.

The accident happened just days before he was due to pick up his brown belt from the White Cloud karate school.

Steven also plays for his school football team and Knuzden Juniors and he was left devastated when his cherished signed Blackburn Rovers shirt had to be cut by the paramedics attending him.

Doctors are to place a pin in the boy's shattered right arm. He also has a suspected broken jaw but further X-rays cannot yet be carried out because of the high level of radiation he has already received.

Mr McLaughlin is now appealing for witnesses to his son's accident.

He said: "He's in a real mess. He can hardly move in his hospital bed and we are staying with him around the clock."

"He's sports mad and loves his karate but we don't know how the accident will affect him taking part in the sport in the future.

"He's more upset about his Rover's shirt than anything else. It had been signed by his favourite players, Chris Sutton and Colin Hendry, and he loved it.

The driver of the Peugeot 309 car, Michael Holden, of Clitheroe, escaped unhurt.

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