THE parents of a little boy who died after being knocked off his bicycle in a Hampshire village are to set up a trust fund in his name to improve road safety.

Eight-year-old Jonathan Moon, from King's Somborne, was in collision with a car driven by a 73-year-old man while riding his bike just yards from his home on August 12.

But his grief-stricken parents Carole and Alan are refusing to let their son die in vain and have vowed to improve road safety in their village and hopefully persuade drivers to cut their speed through education.

Speaking from the home their share with their 12-year-old daughter Julia, the brave couple will be talking to the authorities to get better road safety outside their home and throughout Hampshire.

Mrs Moon, who was the first person to reach her son after the accident and desperately tried to revive him, said: "Jonathan loved to ride his bike. He got great enjoyment from it. Children should have that freedom to enjoy the roads without getting killed.

"I would like speed humps, chicanes and warning signs all the way along this road.

"We would also like to start bike training for children and try to stop speeding through education.

Mr Moon, an architect, said: "We are determined his death will serve some purpose for us but we know it will not bring him back. The authorities cannot be aware of the amount of traffic. It is very busy in the mornings when drivers use the village as a rat run to get into Winchester."

The couple are also hoping to persuade car makers to put money into road safety.

The family home where Jonathan was born is at the moment full of cards and flowers from countless people. It bears a poignant testament to the popular boy, who was the youngest member of the King's Somborne Bellringers at St Peter and St Paul's Church and dreamed of being an inventor.

Mrs Moon said: "He was such a lovely boy. He was somebody who cared for other people. He was sensitive and compassionate with enormous enthusiasm for life.

"We would like to express our heart felt thanks to all those who have cared. Jonathan has touched many, many lives. We had no idea how many lives such a young life has touched."

The depth of feeling for Jonathan was summed up in a poem pinned to a fence post at the spot he died - just 50 yards from his house.

Mingling with the flowers, it is simply called Boy and reads:

More precious than any gold this boy. No fears, lived every second of his years.

Though not grown old, more loved, more missed than any treasures rare.

God bless you.

The poem will be read at Jonathan's funeral. If you would like to contribute to Jonathan's trust fund please write to: The Southern Daily Echo, 5 Upper Brook Street, Winchester, Hants, SO23 8AL.

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