THE driver of a car that hit a 12-year-old schoolgirl was found to be ‘not at fault’ by police.

Essa Academy pupil Sara Bibi was knocked over in Lever Edge Lane at just after 3pm on Tuesday, February 28.

She was taken to Royal Bolton Hospital by ambulance and had to have dental surgeries to repair her teeth, which were broken.

Her mother Zaina Bibi, aged 31, claimed it had been a ‘hit and run’ as the driver did not stop at the scene and she criticised police for her perceived lack of progress in the investigation.

But yesterday, a spokesman from Greater Manchester Police said the investigation into the incident had been closed as the driver was not at fault.

They said the children were throwing snowballs at the time before Sara ran into the road and was hit by the car.

The driver did leave the scene but called the police saying they did not stop because they felt ‘threatened’.

They then returned to the scene ‘within the hour’.

Ms Bibi, from Dunbar Drive, Great Lever, said Sara’s friends helped the injured girl to her feet and into a nearby house, where an ambulance was called before she was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital.

She said: “She has got a lot of facial injuries. All her teeth have been broken and she has had to have several rounds of surgery.

“My daughter is so traumatised. She does not want to go back to school.

“It is her first year there and she has already missed more than a week of education.”

Sara has had several trips to Blackburn for dental surgery and still has more to come.

She has been off school since the incident and will remain so for at least several more weeks.

Ms Bibi said the incident had affected the whole family, including Sara’s six-year-old brother Subhan.

She said: “Her little brother has been screaming in the morning because he did not want to go to school. He wanted to stay with his sister.”

The North West Ambulance Service confirmed they had been called out to Lever Edge Lane at about 4pm after a report of a pedestrian being hit.