Boy, aged 4, dies in taxi tragedy

The youngster, who has not yet been named by police, was rushed to Sheffield Children’s Hospital to be treated for head injuries after the collision with the black hackney cab near his home in Hillsborough.

The boy had been inside the cab with his mother, sister and other relatives and was being dropped off near his home.

Police said his mother got out of the taxi to get money to pay the driver, followed by her son.

He was struck as the dark green taxi reversed in a car park outside the South Yorkshire Housing Office 30 metres from the junction of Cuthbert Bank Road and Bamforth Street, off Lang-sett Road, Hillsborough.

Firefighters from Rivelin station raced to the scene following the accident at 4pm and the youngster was rushed to hospital.

A Rivelin fire station confirmed they had attended “a very serious” collision and that one casualty had been taken to hospital.

A police spokesman said today: “The boy had got out of the taxi and started to walk home when he was in collision with a taxi.

“He suffered head injuries and was taken to Sheffield Children’s Hospital where he died a short while later.”

Police cordoned off the area, which is close to the Bamforth Street tram stop, and will today continue their investigations into how the accident happened.

Local newsagent Michael Wiles said: “I saw eight police cars, two fire engines and an ambulance go past my shop. The next minute someone came in saying a child had been knocked down near the tram stop.”