An eight-year-old has been taken to hospital after being hit by a car in Horwich this afternoon.

The young boy was involved in a collision with a Vauxhall at around 4.20pm in the back road behind houses in Darley Street.

Police were on the scene and paramedics treated the child, who is believed to have suffered a broken leg or ankle.

An air ambulance landed in Green Lane field to provide support but the boy was later taken to Royal Bolton Hospital by the North West Ambulance Service.

Residents have spoken of their frustrations over road safety in the area.

Former police traffic officer and resident of Darley Street, Phil Madden heard the collision.

He said: “The back street has been an accident waiting to happen. If you walk up and down there it is full of potholes. It hasn’t been touched in 20 odd years.

“No one can park anymore on the front street because it has double yellow lines so everyone parks around the back.

“On the main road no one pays any attention to the speed limit. They introduced a 20 mile per hour limit last year but there is no one to police it.”

While the incident happened in the back street, residents fear for the safety of pedestrians crossing the main road which has houses on one side and a play area, field and school on the other.

Mr Madden reported that his home, where he has lived with his wife Janet for 25 years, has been hit by cars on more than three occasions.

Another resident of Darley Street, who asked not to be named, said there was also problems caused due to the number of children cutting through the ginnels and back streets to reach the play area.

He added: “They all need to have barriers up to slow the children on bikes down. With it being a hill they pick up speed and cut through.

“There are always dangers but with the yellow lines you have no choice but to park in the back.

“Kids are kids but the roads are a lot busier than they used to be.”