A MUM has pleaded with parents to keep a close eye on their children after her three-year-old son was knocked down just yards from his home.

Michaela Glover spoke out as police launched a campaign urging people to keep their children safe during the looming summer holidays.

The 22-year-old said she watched in horror as her son Kalim Shah was struck by a green Toyota Corolla in Melville Street, Burnley.

The youngster suffered arm and shoulder injuries, as well as cuts and bruises, and had to be kept in hospital overnight to rule out a head injury.

He is one of eight youngsters, aged three to nine, to have been involved in serious collisions in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale since April.

Police said the worrying statistic had led them to warn parents of the risk of children playing unsupervised near roads over the summer holidays.

Michaela, who is also mum to two-year-old Omaan, said Kalim was with a young friend when the accident happened on Saturday.

They waited for a skip lorry to pass but then stepped out between two parked cars into the path of the Toyota.

Michaela screamed as the vehicle clipped him twice.

She said: "It all happened so quickly. At first we thought the car had run over Kalim's head but thankfully it didn't."

He was taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital for treatment. Doctors initially had concerns that he may have suffered internal bleeding or damaged his shoulder but allowed Michaela and his dad Asim, 22, to take him home on Sunday.

Michaela said: "Parents shouldn't make the mistake that I did and let a young child look after another child. It doesn't matter how old they are. I was only yards away but you never know what can happen."

Pc Mick Baker, of the Colne road policing unit, said the car driver had little opportunity to avoid Kalim.

Coun Mohammed Malik, who represents the Daneshouse and Stoneyholme ward, said: "The children around here, especially near the park, just run out in between the parked cars. We could do with some more 30mph signs for the road as well."

Operations inspector Phil Davies said: “With the nice fine weather we are concerned about seeing a rise in child casualties, especially in residential terraced streets, of which there are many in Nelson, Colne and Burnley.

“More children are playing outside in the afternoon and early evenings and a moment’s carelessness can lead to a child running out in front of a car. “That is something we are desperately keen to avoid.”

He said police were taking action to prevent collisions but that parents had an important role too.

Insp Davies said: "Our advice is not to let very young children play out unsupervised and to know where your children are at all times, whatever their age.”

He said several 20mph zones have been introduced across Burnley and Pendle in conjunction with the council. Work was also continuing on road safety programme with local schools.

Linda Sanderson, communications manager at Lancashire Road Safety Partnership, said: “We can’t legislate for what children do one minute to the next, if they are outside in the sun the last thing they think about is the traffic.

“We are calling on all motorists and bikers to be extra vigilant in built up and residential areas where children could be playing out.”