AN eight-year-old boy who was nearly killed when he was hit by a van in Bolton last week only learned to walk a year ago.

Bolton Wanderers fan Abdi Ali Abdullahi — who is now in an induced coma at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital — suffered serious head injuries and a broken leg when he was run over in Brownlow Way at about 7.10pm last Tuesday.

The youngster — who was born in Kenya and moved to Bolton with his family as a five-year-old — had been restricted to pushchairs and wheelchairs since birth due to a heart condition which made him too weak to walk.

He only learned to walk after having an operation to fix his heart at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital at the age of seven.

Since the surgery Abdi had loved playing football with his friends.

His family said he often talks about former Whites star Fabrice Muamba, who also had a heart condition and who collapsed on the pitch playing for Wanderers in the FA Cup three years ago this week.

His father Ali Abdullahi, aged 75, said: “I love him like the world. He is my last born, and I care for him very much.

“Abdi always says ‘I am a Boltonian man’ because he learned to walk in Bolton — so it is like he was born here.

“He says he started life when we moved to Bolton, and that Bolton would be forever in his heart.”

Mr Abdullahi said Abdi, the youngest of his 10 children, had been at an after school class with his uncle, sisters and nephews before the accident.

As his uncle left the learning centre in Brownlow Way with the other children he noticed Abdi and his 12-year-old sister had walked ahead towards the road, and shouted for them to stop.

But it was too late and Abdi, a Year-three pupil at St Matthew’s CE Primary in Halliwell, stepped off the pavement and was hit by the van.

Police have previously said Abdi had been playing on the pavement before the accident but his father said this was not the case.

The youngster, who has been in a medically-induced coma since the accident, underwent an operation to repair his broken right leg on Monday.

He is due to have another brain scan soon and his relatives are hopeful he may wake up soon.

Mr Abdullahi said he does not blame the driver of the van for what happened.

He said: “The mistake was not by the driver or by Abdi.

“When you have a child, if somebody hurts them you feel that pain.

“The doctors are working hard and doing everything they can. They give me good hope — I am praying Abdi will wake up.”

Prayers have been said for Abdi — who wants to be a doctor when he grows up — at mosques across Bolton, at his school, and at St Paul’s Church in Halliwell.

Barbara Haworth, headteacher at St Matthew’s, said: “We are so glad to hear Abdi’s situation has improved.

"So many people have asked me about him and expressed their shock.

“The children are making cards for Abdi and we hope soon he will soon be well enough to look at them.”

Police are continuing to investigate the incident and anyone with information is asked to call the police's serious collision investigation unit on 0161 8564741 or 0161 8564742.