Steven Gerrard ‘upset’ as child injured in car collision

Oct 2 2007 by Alan Weston, Liverpool Daily Post

LIVERPOOL FC captain Steven Gerrard was last night said to be “very upset”, after he was involved in a traffic collision which left a 10-year-old boy in hospital with a broken leg.

The schoolboy, Jamie Hellawell, was knocked to the ground after running out into the road and hitting the side of the star’s Bentley car in Grantham Road, Birkdale.

The accident happened at 3.15pm yesterday, near the entrance to Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School where Jamie is a pupil.

The boy was heading home for the day when the accident happened. He was last night in a stable condition after being transfered from Ormskirk District General Hosptial to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

His grandfather Reg Rogan, 66, said: “I didn't see the accident, but I could make out from a distance that something was going on.

“Then someone said it was Jamie who had been knocked down and I rushed up to him.

“Stevie Gerrard was kneeling down beside him, holding his hand trying to comfort him and telling him he would be okay.

“He was very considerate and you could see that he was shocked about what had happened.

“Then the paramedics arrived and they took over and the police came and took some statements about what had happened.”

One eye-witness, a 35-year-old woman, said: “There were two cars parked outside the school and the little boy ran out in between them and ran into the side of a big black car.

“It looked like he got hit by the wing mirror and was knocked to the ground.

“Stevie Gerrard stopped the car and got out and ran over to the boy.

“He was kneeling over him and you could see there were tears in Stevie's eyes. He was really upset to see the little lad like that.

“But it wasn't Stevie's fault, he wasn’t travelling fast. The lad ran into him and there was nothing he could have done. Steve was really pale and shocked.

“He stayed with the lad while the paramedics were treating him and giving him oxygen before they moved him.

“Then the police came and Stevie and a friend who was with him went into the back of a police van for about 10 minutes and he came out holding a form.”

The schoolboy’s grandfather said the boy was a keen Manchester United fan.

Mr Rogan added: “The doctors say Jamie may need an operation on his leg which is broken in two places. They will decide when to operate when the swelling has gone down enough.

“Jamie is being very brave about it all. He is a good lad.”

A spokesman for the Liverpool captain said: “Steven was driving very slowly through an area of Birkdale when a young boy ran out and hit the side of his car.

“Steven comforted the boy and stayed with him until the paramedics arrived.

“There were apparently several eye-witnesses who saw the accident.

“Steven later attended a police station where he produced his driving documents as a matter of routine and made a statement about the accident.”

The spokesman added that Steven was “very upset” about the accident. He had been in contact with the boy’s family to check his progress, and planned to visit him in the next couple of days.

Merseyside Police appealed for witnesses to call 0151 777 5730.

Steven Gerrard lives with his wife Alex in a detached home in Victoria Road, Freshfield, about eight miles from the scene of the accident.

alanweston@dailypost.co.uk