A CALLOUS hit and run driver mowed down two brothers aged four and seven as they crossed a road in Bournemouth on Wednesday evening.

The four-year-old was knocked through the air, landing some 60 feet away, while his brother was trapped under the car.

Luckily, the boys, who were with their mother at the time of the collision in Wimborne Road, Kinson, suffered relatively minor injuries, with only the older brother kept in overnight at Poole Hospital under observation.

Read more about what happened yesterday evening here

Police launched a search for the female driver of a red Volkswagen Polo who left the scene of the crash, which took place at the junction with Kinson Road just after 5pm.

This morning they confirmed the car had been found and a woman was helping police with their enquiries. 

A witness who was working nearby said: “This car came scooting around and ran over one child.

"The other got bounced off the front wing. I went running out and called the ambulance.”

He said the driver of the Polo got out of the car, put her head in her hands and said “Oh my God, I can’t believe it”.

He said she drove off before an ambulance arrived and that witnesses believed she was just moving her car.

Dorset Police Force Incident Commander Ben Hargreaves said: “We need to speak to the driver urgently and ask this motorist to contact Dorset Police on 101.

“We would also like to speak to anyone who witnessed the collision or has any information that may assist in identifying the vehicle or the driver.”

The car is thought to have a T or V registration.

Inspector Steve White said at the scene: “The circumstances are believed to be that a vehicle stopped to allow the family to cross from the central reservation to the opposite side of the road.

“They are believed to have got halfway across the road, and then a red VW Polo came up the nearside of the other stopped vehicle, and ended up colliding with both children.

“One child was thrown 20 yards – or 60 feet – while the other child was trapped momentarily under the vehicle.”

The driver of the Polo got out of the car and spoke to people at the scene before leaving minutes later in the direction of Magna Road and Christchurch.

She is described as being approximately 45 years of age, white, around five foot three inches tall, of medium build, and with shoulder-length brown hair.

Insp White said: “We are appealing for witnesses to come forward, and in particular the driver of the vehicle to come forward, and tell us what they know about the incident.”

Kinson North councillor Dennis Gritt said he was “horrified” to hear of the crash, adding that the stretch of road has “cars going all ways” to cross two lanes of traffic and negotiate two junctions.

“If you know it, it’s okay, but if you don’t, it’s a very difficult bit of road,” he said. “I would urge anybody that saw the accident to go to the police and report what they’ve seen as soon as possible.”

Mustafa Bulbul, who works at the Premier Express Kinson Convenience Store, said: “I didn’t see it happen but I heard the noise.

“There were a lot of people around, and there were kids crying. It was a lady driving a red Polo.

"She stopped for a couple of minutes – she got out of her car and looked at the kids. Then she got in her car again.”

Taqi Zahedi, of Cali Man Fried Chicken and Pizza, said: “I came into work about five minutes after it happened but the police have been in since to look at the CCTV.

“You could see the red car stop for a few minutes. I think the lady got out but then she got back in again and drove off.”

Witnesses and anyone with information should call Dorset Police in confidence on 101, quoting inci¬ dent number 05:329, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.