AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD boy was knocked down by a car and hit his head on the road outside a busy Bournemouth primary school.

Connor McGuire was treated by ambulance crews outside Muscliff Primary School, where parents and staff have been campaigning for improved road safety measures.

Now his mum, Sabrina, and senior school staff have stepped up action in a bid to stop people parking dangerously outside the Broadway Lane school.

And school business manager Demi Constant has revealed that some irresponsible parents have ignored pleas to park responsibly, refusing to move when challenged.

Sabrina, who lives at Knowlton Gardens, walks home from school with Connor and six-year-old daughter Keevi.

She said: "There is a crossing patrol on Broadway Lane but not on Shillingstone Drive, where many people have to cross the road to get home.

"There are cars parked on the pavement and on the corners, making it impossible to see when crossing.

"Connor was knocked to the ground and spent an hour in an ambulance because of this yet nothing is being done to improve the situation. He was lucky not to have been badly hurt but it could have been a lot worse."

The accident happened on Wednesday November 1 and since then Mr Constant has contacted Bournemouth council.

He said: "I have asked for an additional lollipop person or extra parking restrictions. We have had issues for years outside the school and now it has resulted in an accident.

"We monitor the situation the best we can but we can't make people move if they refuse to do so. Most of them live within a quarter-of-a-mile of the school so it would be better if they walked."

Richard Pearson, Bournemouth council's Highway Design and Road Safety Manager said: "We have been made aware of some concerns regarding driver behaviour at Muscliff Primary School during drop off and pick up times.

"The safety of school children is really important and last year we implemented additional parking restrictions in the roads flanking the school to try to reduce the parking near the main entrances.

"The Council’s Civil Enforcement team routinely patrol all areas around schools and drivers who do not adhere to the parking restrictions may be issued with a fixed penalty notice. We ask that drivers play their part and help take responsibility for child safety by ensuring they park sensibly and correctly."