A MOTHER has relived the moment she saw her daughter’s best friend trapped under a car outside her school.

An eight-year-old schoolgirl was airlifted to hospital after being hit by a car outside Monkwick Junior School, School Road, Colchester, by a pregnant driver.

She was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, with serious injuries to her hip, arm and nose and is now expected to spend Christmas in hospital, according to family friends.

A ten-year-old girl was also struck by the silver Citroen Xsara Picasso, but only suffered minor injuries.

Since the accident parents, teachers and residents have criticised the use of the road, which combines parked cars, motorists and children getting to and from three different schools.

A campaign has been launched for School Road to be closed from 8am until 9.30am and between 2.30pm and 3.30pm.

Campaigners also want a school crossing patrol back in Monkwick Avenue. Petitions are now going around local estates.

Witness Kyra Turnbull was walking along the street with her children Olivia, seven, and Alfie, eight. She was just feet away from the accident.

She said: “The one in hospital is my little girl’s best friend.

“When she saw it happen right in front of her, she could not stop screaming.

“They have known each other since she was three.

“This morning she was asking, ‘will it happen again today?’ “You don’t want your children to be scared. We were just feet away. The lady with me was a nurse so she knew what to do.

“The emergency services were amazing. The paramedics were there almost instantly and the firemen just lifted the car right off her.”

Mrs Turnbull is supporting the call to get the road closed.

She said: “The road just needs to be shut. It is the only way to stop something like this happening again.

“This would not have happened if cars did not go down there.”

She was due to meet up with the family, but said the young girl is likely to need a frame around her pelvis and is expected to be in hospital for several weeks.

Police are still appealing for information following the incident just after 8.30am on Thursday last week.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Stanway Road Policing Team on 101.