UK & World News
- 20 August 2012, 9:41
Toddler And Sister Critical After Hit And Run
Residents say a road where a toddler and his sister were critically injured in a hit and run collision is used as a "drag strip" by boy racers.
Raham Saleem, two, and his ten-year-old sister Sabam were knocked down while crossing the road with another youngster near the Makkah Masjid Mosque in Leeds.
Police urged the driver of a silver Vauxhall Astra to come forward after the crash in Brudenell Road, Hyde Park, at around 5.20pm on Saturday.
Raham and Sabam were taken to Leeds General Infirmary and remain in a critical condition following surgery.
Witness Inzimaam Sulman, 12, who knew the children, told Sky News: "I was playing in my bedroom and I heard a car driving really fast up the road.
"I looked out of the window and I saw the children walking across the street with a bag of onions and the car just smashed into them. They were flown into the air.
"I couldn't believe it. It was awful. I went outside and I could see their mum and dad on the road. It was horrible."
His father, Manover Sulman, told Sky his street was being used as a "drag strip" by young drivers.
"They drive 50mph up this street because it's long. They use it for drag racing. It's terrible. It has been going on for a while now and nothing seems to be done about it.
"There are speed bumps, but they don't make any difference."
Mr Sulman said he saw a silver Vauxhall Astra, similar to the one police are looking for, driving at speed up his street on the day the children were knocked over.
Police are studying CCTV footage of the incident.
Detective Superintendent Paul Taylor, leading the investigation, said: "Wide-ranging inquiries by detectives and specialist officers are under way to trace the driver of this car.
"I would urge that driver to come forward and contact us now before they receive a knock on the door."
He added: "The family of these youngsters are understandably extremely distressed and for their sake we are keen to trace this driver as soon as possible."
:: Anyone with information can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
what do you think?
Anthony Smith
Hope they Make a full recovery and that scumbag gets life. I have three children and get nervous when they play outside as we have a few idiots driving like manuals in my street also. Next time i will show them this story and am sure it will make them think twice about their driving speed.
Anthony Smith
Maniacs . Silly phone
movvi
I did wonder what terrible thing "manual" was slang for! My phone does its own thing at times, too!
Lorgar Aurelian
I was quite gutted manuals wasn't an insult!
Greg Robinson
Being a father of two young children my heart goes out to the children and parents.but if you know a road is used for high speed racing,why let your children of that age cross unaccompanied.
Name witheld
This comment has been removed for violations of our Terms and Conditions.
krisevans888
It appears to be another young driver with no care or respect for any other person when their behind the wheel. An attitude like that makes a vehicle a weapon in the hands of a person who is out of control. Increase the driving age to 21. Best wishes to the children & family.
james stevenson
they are more than no respect or care, they do not even think about what they could do to themselves, hit a brick wall, then no insurance to pay for the wall
Matthew Stoner
Increasing the age to 21 will do nowt......doesn't matter what the age, you'll always get some numpty who thinks the speed limit don't apply to them. True, most offenders are young males, showing off, but Ive witnessed middle aged men/women drivers sitting at 35/40 in 30 zones. I'm not a big fan off speed cameras, but maybe that would be a good deterent on this road, the revenue from fines could be re-invested into the local community.
movvi
Yes - or an old driver with no care or respect!
Adj Jackson
Increase the age to 21????? That will stop the 14 yr old joy rider whos banned from driving for 3 yrs already!!!!!
james stevenson
How can a road in an area where there are people and children, and houses, in a town be a 50mph road? Why can't these m888ns be taken off the roads, put on a race track and be allowed to do what they want, if they make a mistake who would care if it was their last?
james stevenson
and why can't the police do their job, they know about these goings on, or do they just put it down to what the eye can't see, do nothing at all?
IAN H
Its not 50 limit the guy said they drive at 50
james stevenson
This comment has been removed for violations of our Terms and Conditions.
dave
The police can't do the job because the govt. believes that we have too many police and so they're cutting back on police numbers.
movvi
This was an area known for stupid driving but still nothing was enforced to stop it, at the expense of these children. On a similar road, a 30 zone here, someone slammed into my husband's car as he waited to turn right but then drove off. Witnesses who saw gave us the driver's number. As his mother is a "well-to-do" businesswoman and his father also influential, the police did nothing, saying he had 24 hours to report it at a police station. He never did. We called and called... Later, a boy we know was killed in the very spot, as two idiots raced side-by-side down the road. Lessons should be learned and the police should start taking heed.
shirley sutton
Police probably too busy chasing people posting opinions and comments on twitter than catching real criminals like these idiots
Julie Crumpton
Close friends with a pc, who was our liason officer,.....they have to do what the " higher ups" tell them to do.....don't blame the police, blame the ones in charge
dave
Try sending a letter to your local paper describing the incident and lack of response (but not why) and the same letter to the local police to see if anyone else has had a similar experience.
Dave Harrison
Movvi. No doubt pillars of society and friends with the chief constable. Its not what you know but who.
movvi
Hmmm, a good idea, Dave! Yes - I agree with you all - and by police, I did ultimately mean the ones in charge, as the ones I know personally do seem to be quite professional and dedicated. It is indeed just their policies and red tape that seem a tad bizarre. Combine that with the "who you know" mentality and you and I might as well just shut up!
Bernadette Griffin
Someone friend or family must know who the driver is and they should do the decent thing and urge that person to hand themselves in, failing that a bit of tough love is in order.
Andrea Hill
These boy racers need to grow up!!!
Mike Drouin
Is the header picture bearing any resemblance to the article or am i missing something ?
Louisa Gieldon
I wonder who he is? Whatever you're missing, i'm missing it too Mike!
shirley sutton
Think he might be the toddler who was injured with his sister!!!!
movvi
Ha ha, I thought so too, Louisa and Mike - they had a bizarre manface on it last night! They have changed it by today, Shirley, so it is indeed the poor kids who were knocked over.
Louisa Gieldon
I hear these young boys racing around our town all night, making a terrible noise as they rev up their souped up cars. Occasionally one crashes and the young online community turns them into heroes-"only the good die young" and all that rubbish. I cannot understand why the police allow this - they take a very softly softly approach and these boys and girls (mostly boys) are causing a nuisance, endangering other drivers and pedestrians and acting lke they own our towns Hope that Raham and Saban make a good recovery
Thomas Cat
Totally agree with you on this Louisa, lets pray for a full recovery for these little uns'
Dave Harrison
The problem seems to be that these young drivers think they are fireproof and it won't happen to them. When it does and I hear about a fatal accident involving only one car my first reaction is good it makes the roads safer for the rest of us. You are right that the other kids turn them into heroes Louisa instead of thinking prat, all their life in front of them and they have pulled a stupid stunt like this. Mind you stupidity on the roads isn't just confined to the young
movvi
Can we enforce speed limits, improve crossings and please look after our children? It is a far too dangerous world to allow so many children out alone and we hear story upon story of terrible things happening to them when unsupervised. Also, can we catch the driver and give them a PROPER punishment this time?
Keith Walker
Two lovely children.Hope they make a full recovery We have two grand daughters around the same age.We wouldn't ever send them off to the shops on their own Can't imagine how the rarents are feeling.
stevegs850
god speed the full recovery of these children,but surely a known rabbit run for boy racers i personally wouldnt let a 10yr old lead a 2yr old down to the shops,catch the driver and give them the obligatory £50 fine and 5 points then they can drive again, human lives are worthless in this sort of events as there are tooo many uninsured cars on the road. the police cannot cope and only deal with the cases they come across or when they do a numberplate recognition stint in the local area,we need more police.
Shamim Islam
This comment has been removed for violations of our Terms and Conditions.
Brian E Gorton
12:33pm on 19/8/2012
Hope both the children fully recover.Their parents must be devastated.When you catch the person! Lock it up and throw away the key.