Schoolboy, 13, fighting for life after being hit by gritter lorry in Wales

The boy was injured on the Lansbury Park estate in Caerphilly as he walked to school.

Ellen Manning

Fri, 10 March 2023 at 11:32 am GMT

A schoolboy is fighting for his life after being hit by a gritter lorry while walking to school in Wales.

The boy, 13, is in hospital after suffering “life-threatening injuries” in the incident, which happened as much of the UK received a blanketing of snow.

Gwent Police said the boy was injured at around 8.20am on Thursday on the Lansbury Park estate in Caerphilly – one of the areas of Wales worst affected by snowfall.

The force said the road was closed as police officers and paramedics attended the scene and the boy was taken to University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff where he was said to be in a critical condition.

The male lorry driver, 36, has been arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by driving without due care and attention and remains in custody.

A spokesman for Gwent Police said: “We received a report of a road traffic collision in Lansbury Park Road, Caerphilly, at around 8.20am on Thursday, 9 March.

“Our officers and paramedics from the Welsh Ambulance Service and Wales Air Ambulance attended. The collision involved a gritting vehicle and a pedestrian.

“The pedestrian, a 13-year-old boy, has been taken to hospital for treatment. His injuries are thought to be considered life-threatening.

“The driver of the gritter, a 36-year-old man, has been arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by driving without due care and attention. He remains in custody.”

Police asked for anyone who witnessed the collision, or any motorists with dashcam footage who were using Lansbury Park Road between 8am and 8.30am on Thursday, to contact them.