The parents of a young cyclist who nearly died in a road accident are urging other youngsters to never get on a bike without a helmet.

Ten-year-old Callum Lockyer was left unconscious for more than a week and with fractures to his skull and pelvis following the horror crash last month.

The youngster had borrowed a friend's bike and set off for a ride without a helmet, only to discover the brakes did not work.

Moments later he collided with a van leaving him so ill his parents were told he might never fully recover.

Now though as the Fordingbridge Junior School pupil continues to recover in hospital, his mum Dawn has urged other youngsters and their parents to learn from his mistakes.

She said: "I just hope parents will make sure their children's bike is safe and that they have safety gear and helmets.

"I never want any mum to go through what I did."

For the full story see today's Southern Daily Echo