The mother of a Faversham teenager who was knocked off his scooter and suffered life-changing injuries has warned other children to be vigilant on the roads.

Abbey School pupil Charlie Duchesne, 13, was thrown from his metal scooter when he collided with a silver Mercedes in Athelstan Road last weekend.

His leg injuries are so severe that his growth plates have been torn and his leg may now not grow.

Charlie, from Newnham, was flown to Kings College Hospital in London and was rushed into surgery - he has now had two operations and is awaiting plastic surgery.

His mother Debbie said: “We have been with him every day and we hope he can come home soon.

“His injuries are life-changing and as a family, we have found it a big shock.

“What lies ahead is a long journey and we still have no real idea of what happened.

“He has had to have two operations on his leg as it was broken in the worse possibly way.

“All he remembers is coming out of an alleyway, looking left and then right, and that’s as far as he remembers.”

Two ambulances and police rushed to the scene near the Co-op just after 2pm on Saturday, with the air ambulance landing at the Abbey School.

Ambulance spokesman Richard Airey said: “We were called to Athelstan Road at around 2.15pm on Saturday.

“A 13-year-old boy had suffered a serious ankle injury and minor head wound.

“He was initially treated at the scene before being lifted to King’s College Hospital in London.”

The road remained closed while emergency services dealt with the accident.

Charlie has been riding his scooter for the past five years but has never had an accident, and Debbie believes he won’t be riding again.

He will have to use crutches and a wheelchair for the next six to eight weeks and will need extensive physiotherapy.

Debbie said: “I would like to say a massive thanks to all the medical staff at the scene, police officers, and the public who kept him calm.

“Special thanks go to an elderly gentleman who was with Charlie the whole time.

“Kids need to be more careful on the roads, especially when using scooters or when skating – they need to always, always look out for cars. The roads can be dangerous and children need to stay alert.”